French Braid
by K.E.Nuss
Summary: AU Naruto is a sixteen year old teenager struggling to support his eight year old cousin after his aunt left them both to go to NYC. She washes up dead in a NY river. But she did leave them something. That's good, right? "Someone's watching me!" NaruHina
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is the prologue for the story. I know I said I only wanted to do one story at a time, but I can't help it! I've read several high school fics; a lot of them are just crap and are the same idea over and over! (Though there are good ones, in my favorites not all of them are god awful) But this, as far as I know is a very original idea. So here you go people, my first High School fic…enjoy…?

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**Disclaimer: Must you ask? I do not own Naruto. I do however own Uzumaki Yako and Uzumaki Tetsuko.

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Prologue

Naruto walked slowly to the door of his apartment, pausing and pressing his ear against the door. He didn't hear any noises from the other side. That was strange; usually someone was in the apartment. Something was always going on in there.

His parents had died when he was a year old (he was now fourteen) and he never really knew them. After they'd passed, he was put in the custody of his next of kin, his mother's sister, and his aunt. She was a prostitute.

That was why it was strange that there was no noise inside the apartment. There was always someone behind the door paying for her 'services'.

"Naruto nii-chan," the little girl next to him tugged on his shirt. He looked down at her. She was his cousin; he'd cared for her with little help from his aunt, her mother, Uzumaki Yako. She was the result of a broken condom, and a long night with a john. Yako had kept the child only for the welfare checks she would receive from the government once a month. She was six years old.

He put his key in the lock and opened the door somewhat hesitantly. "Come on, Tetsuko, it's ok." He listened; maybe his aunt was just in her bedroom with her john. "A-aunt Yako?"

No Answer. He looked around. There was a piece of paper taped to the TV. He walked over to it, Tetsuko holding his shirt and following him all the way. He peeled the scotch tape off the screen and read the note to himself.

_Naruto,_

_I'm leaving. I've decided that I'm going to go to New York City. Northern California isn't doing it for me anymore, you know? I'm bored of the beach. There are a couple frozen pizzas in the freezer. Come visit if you ever come to New York._

_-Yako_

He growled low in his throat and crumpled the note into a tiny ball in his hands and chucked it across the room.

"Naruto nii-chan," Tetsuko asked. She looked up at him questioningly with sea green eyes. "Where's mommy?"

"She's not coming home, Tetsuko-chan," He knelt down in front of her and tightly held her to him.

She blinked and hugged him back. "Are you ok?" He was shaking.

"Yea, I'm ok, we'll both be ok," he took a shaky breathe.

Tetsuko didn't quite grasp the severity of the situation they were stuck in. "Pinky promise?"

He smiled and linked her pinky finger with his own. "Pinky promise,"

She laughed and hugged him again.

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**A/N: Ignore the shortness, this won't suck I promise! lol **

**...REVIEW**

**-Wicka**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:**** Sorry for the late update!! I've been having horrible writers block, most of which was destroyed by listening to Vertical Horizon's songs I'm Still Here, Miracle, and You're A God, as well as Smash Mouth's Walking On The Sun, Then the Morning Comes, and also Come On Come On.**

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 **Disclaimer****: I do not own Naruto.**

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 "_Naruto nii-chan where are we going?" Tetsuko looked up at her cousin. "It's raining and cold, and it's thundering, I'm afraid of thunder," she admitted rather embarrassed. She'd never even told her mommy that, though she probably wouldn't have cared very much. When ever she got a scraped knee or something of the sort, she'd always tell her mommy and she'd say she didn't care, to go tell Naruto._

"_It's alright, Tetsuko-chan," he grabbed her hand and she took it thankfully._

"_But where are we going?" she asked again, looking right and left every few seconds. There were many homeless men, hookers and drug dealers on this street._

"_We're going to find me a job," he said, sounding much older then fourteen. "Aunt Yako didn't leave us enough money or frozen pizzas to last us more then a week." Hate and anger drenched his words. "So I need to work."_

"_Not out here, right?" she didn't like the thought of her dear cousin standing on a street corner selling drugs or, well, hooking._

"_Hm? No, of course not," he laughed slightly. "You know the McDonalds down the street from the schools?" she nodded, her face brightening. "I saw a Help Wanted sign. They're looking for someone to bus tables,"_

"_So you're gonna work at McDonalds?" she asked._

"_Yea, after school, I'm gonna try to work as much as they'll let me," he said._

"_Ok," she nodded._

_Through the rain they walked and eventually they made it to the McDonalds. This was a weird place. Though it was a fast food restaurant, there were also waiters for people who didn't order their food to go._

_The two of them entered the place, thankful to be out of the down pour. Tetsuko removed the hood of her small pink rain jacket and Naruto pulled off his baseball cap and shoved it in his pocket._

_Tetsuko looked around for someone she knew. The first person to come into her sights was Sasuke Uchiha, her cousin's best friend. "Look, Naruto nii-chan! It's Sasuke!" she pointed excitedly at the boy who was standing in line, looking very annoyed, behind his elder brother, Itachi Uchiha._

_Itachi was wearing a long black trench coat and she could have sworn she saw a small, metal, red cloud hanging around his neck._

"_Yea," Naruto looked over at the raven-haired boy in the blue rain coat who quickly to joined them._

"_Yo, dobe," he greeted. "Tetsuko-chan," he gave her a quick, soft smile._

"_Hey," he nodded. _

_Sasuke looked at him hard. There was something wrong with him, his eyes were dark. "So, what did you do over winter break?" Sasuke questioned._

"_Nothing, I have to go," Naruto turned away from him and pulled Tetsuko to a waiter._

"_What the hell?" Sasuke wondered aloud. Normally Naruto would have answered excitedly with a story that was only interesting because of the way he told it._

"_Excuse me," Naruto looked up at the tall waiter. He had chin length brown hair and dark eyes._

"_What's up kid," he asked._

"_I want to apply for a job, as a bus boy," he stated. The waiter sighed._

"_Fine, what's your name?" he asked._

"_Naruto Uzumaki," he replied, following the waiter to the back of the restaurant._

"_I'm Kyto Tsukino."_

* * *

"Uzumaki, hey, Uzumaki!" The teacher hollered, and slapped the blond on the back of the head.

Naruto quickly sat up and rubbed his blood shot eyes. "S-sorry, it won't happen again," He heard the class laugh at him. The bell rang, and as fast as they possibly could, the students in the class stood up with their books and jolted from their seats to make a run for the door, they all had lunch next. Naruto was a little slower about it. He stifled a yawn and picked up his bag.

"What's going on with you huh?" the teacher questioned him.

"Nothing, I'm just tired is all," Naruto blinked a few times.

"Why are you so tired?" he asked suspiciously.

"I, uh, I stayed up late playing video games last night," That was a lie. He'd pawned off his TV a long time ago. "Good bye Sir," he nodded his head and walked out the door, yawning again and running a hand through his hair.

He warily made his way to the cafeteria, where he located an empty table in the back and took out his History book and a few pieces of paper. '_I have to get this report done before tonight,_' he tapped his pencil on his head and bit his lip.

He had to write an essay that named the ways that World War 2 and the Holocaust could have been prevented. He might as well start with the obvious; assassinate Hitler before he became as powerful as he was in Germany.

He was sixteen. He was resident to an apartment in the downtown region of the city of Konoha, where the whores lived. He worked as many shifts as possible at his place of employment, McDonalds. Naruto needed to pay the rent for the apartment he and Tetsuko lived in. He wasn't making nearly enough money as he needed to be. That was why he sold their TV to a pawn shop and disconnected the cable, much to Tetsuko's disappointment. He'd also sold everything in his aunt's room, her bed, nightstand, dresser and mirror. He sold her clothes and sheets to a good will charity. He'd sold the table and chairs in the dining room, and the couch and love seat and recliner in the living room. His room was empty as he had started selling his own furniture. He'd even begun selling his own clothes to charities

"Oh my God is he wearing the same clothes as yesterday?" a tall girl with long blonde hair in a ponytail whispered to the other girl she was sitting with. She had purple hair that was long on one side and short on the other.

"I think he has been wearing that since last week," she snickered. "Do you think he has more then one outfit?"

"I doubt it Ami-chan," the blonde, a girl known to him as Yamanaka Ino joined her in laughing as they half whispered half screamed little things about him.

'_Ignore them, you have to do this you have to work until midnight remember?_' a voice in his head scolded him. Work, right, definitely do the homework before work. Got it.

The next and final class of the day following lunch was gym. Lockers opened and close with the sounds of squeaking hinges and clashing metal, he opened his own locker and onto the floor fell ashes, the remains on his gym shorts. Some one had stuck a lit match into his locker to burn his clothes. Bastards. He looked to the raven haired boy next to him. "Sasuke?"

"What, loser," Sasuke turned to face him, glaring as he took off his shirt to swap it for a jersey.

"Can I borrow some clothes?" he held up the remains of his cremated clothes.

"Whatever," He tossed a pair of shorts and a T-shirt at the blond, finished changing and left.

The two of them had been best friends at one point. They'd met in pre-school, and were together ever since. Sasuke would get rid of the many kids who would bully Naruto and in return he'd ward off Sasuke's fan club. When they were eight, and Tetsuko was born, Naruto had become more distant, as he needed to take care of the little girl. But they were still close. It was in the eighth grade, when Naruto's aunt had left and he'd been forced to work all the time, that they drifted apart., Naruto never had time to hang out, he had become tired from constant work He did his homework in lunch and slept on the bus.

Sasuke decided that Naruto didn't want to be his friend any more, and he didn't have enough time for him any way.

Naruto sighed and sat down on the locker room bench to tie his sneakers. Soon after he followed Sasuke to the gym and sat down on the bleachers. He leaned back against them and closed his eyes. He might as well try to sneak in some sleep.

* * *

'_Naruto!_' Hinata Hyuuga blushed and cleared her throat, eyeing the blond boy sitting on the bleachers. '_He looks more tired then usual,_'

"Hey, Hinata, what are you staring at?" the pink haired girl next to her asked. She followed Hinata's line of sight to Naruto Uzumaki. "Naruto, huh,"

"W-what?" Hinata's face turned bright red. "I, I, uh..."

"It's fine, Hinata," Tenten smiled, tweaking the buns on her head. "We already know you like him, you have forever,"

"I, I don't l-like..." she couldn't finish that sentence.

"Why do you like him?" Sakura asked. "He's nice and all but he's kind of a dork,"

"Aw, lay off Sakura," Tenten raised an eyebrow. "She's never said anything about how you crush on Sasuke,"

"T-Tenten!" Sakura glared, her face matching Hinata's. The Haruno girl's gaze traveled over to Sasuke Uchiha. He was standing in a group of boys. His friends, including Hinata's cousin Neji Hyuuga surrounded him. Outside that circle was the ring of fan girls, their close friend Ino among them. Her eyes flickered back to her friends.

"So, what d-do you think we're d-doing in class today?" Hinata attempted to change the subject, her eyes never leaving the sleeping boy on the bleachers. She twirled a piece of navy blue hair with her fingers, and pulled her waist length ponytail over her shoulder.

She had had a big crush on Naruto since she, her father, her sister and Neji had moved to Konoha in the seventh grade. He'd always smiled and laughed. He never had many friends, except for Sasuke, but he never let the bullies get to him. Whenever they'd had an encounter he'd smile at her and butterflies would grow in her stomach.

But a few years ago he'd stopped smiling, he started letting the bullies get to him, and he grew tired. Even Sasuke stopped wanting to be in his presence. She never knew what had happened that had made him start to slip. But she'd never stopped liking him.

She'd asked Neji once, if he knew what happened to him, since he was friends with Sasuke he might have said something. He said he didn't know, but it was probably something involving drugs. He did, after all, live in the shittiest part of town with drug dealers and whores and guns.

"I think we might be playing soccer, Morino-Sensei has been Saying something about it lately." Sakura commented. Tenten nodded and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Alright kiddies, get in line for attendance!" Ibiki Morino stomped into the room in his combat boots, and all around military looking outfit and full length leather jacket. Long scars stretched across his face, further adding to his frightening aura. The twenty or so teenagers quickly lined up.

Hinata noticed Naruto did not move from his spot on the bleachers. '_Come on Naruto, he'll make you run laps!_' she mentally called out to him. She new full well that Naruto could barely stay conscious, let alone run fifteen laps on the track, it might kill him.

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Naruto could hardly hear the feet of his fellow students running to get into single file line. What really woke him up was his name being called. "UZUMAKI!" he yelped and fell onto the ground, startled.

"Y-yes sir?" he said, coughing.

"Get your ass in line," he watched him through narrowed eyes as he got up and scurried to stand on the left of Sasuke Uchiha. He smirked. "Now, since everyone's here, you can all do fifteen laps around the track, courtesy of Naruto."

The class groaned and Sasuke glared harshly at him. "Nice going dobe, you're such a loser," he muttered.

"You all wanna make it twenty?" Ibiki asked angrily. They all shut up. "Now get your lazy asses going and then come back." They all took off.

Naruto was panting only halfway through his first lap. A mob of annoyed boys came up along side him.

"Are you stupid Uzumaki?" Kiba Inuzuka asked, growling. Naruto didn't respond, just coughed.

"He's talking to you," another boy, one Naruto didn't know the name of, elbowed him.

"Fuck off," the blond spat under his breathe.

"Hey," Kiba glared. "Don't talk to me like that!" he shoved him to the side and he yelped, falling right onto Hinata. He landed on top of her on the track.

"Dumbass!" the heel of Neji's hand made contact with the place where Kiba's head met his neck, giving him an immediate migraine. He stopped; the rest of the crew kept going. Sakura and Tenten had also stopped to get Naruto off of Hinata.

"Sorry," Naruto rolled off of her. His cheeks were tinted a light shade of pink. He coughed.

"I-it's o-ok N-Naruto" she sat up, her face and neck were on fire.

"Stupid shits," Neji murmured, reaching a hand out to Hinata. "You ok?"

"Y-yes N-Neji n-nii-san," she stuttered, wiping dust from her shirt.

"Any one gives you any trouble, call me ok, I'll knock their asses into next year," Neji nodded to her and went to catch up to the other guys.

"That was ridiculous," Tenten glared in the direction of Kiba.

"I'll say, you sure your ok Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"Y-yes," she looked down to see Naruto roll onto his hands and knees. He was coughing furiously. He covered his mouth and his coughs were muffled a bit. "A-are y-you a-alright, N-Naruto?"

He nodded, and with his free hand banged his fist against his chest. He finally stopped, and cleared his throat. He pulled his hand away from his mouth, and rubbed his hand onto the grass, almost hard enough to rip it up. "Shit," he got to his feet.

"W-what's w-wrong?" she mentally slapped herself for stuttering. Hinata stepped towards him.

"Nothing, I'm fine, nothings wrong," he said turning to the girls. He rubbed his face with Sasuke's shirt, exposing his torso for a second.

Hinata blushed. "W-what w-was th-that?" she asked.

"It wasn't anything, it was nothing, I, we should keep running before Morino-Sensei starts, we should go," he quickly turned to continue running on the track.

After a moment they followed after him, keeping a slight distance.

'_Damn coughing fits!_' he shook his head and spit on the ground, trying to rid himself of the metallic taste in his mouth.

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'_What was that?_' Hinata wondered. Sakura and Tenten had started talking amongst themselves. '_Why was he coughing so hard?_' she knotted her eyebrows in confusion and concern. Her eyes were glued to Naruto's back. '_Naruto..._' She was probably just over reacting. He probably had a bad cold.

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After the class finished running their laps, they found out that their next unit was soccer, and that for this class they'd be playing a practice game, and then, for the next month, they would be split into three teams and would have an ongoing tournament. The winning team would pick the next unit, and get extra points on their averages. Naruto's team lost the practice game.

They all went into the locker rooms to shower and change. Naruto was rubbing his shampoo through his hair. He hadn't actually showered in a couple days. He could barely afford the water bill as it was, so he showered in gym, and Tetsuko could shower every day at home.

The bell rang and the boys all rushed from the locker rooms to meet their friends and girlfriends. Instead of ensuing in the social chatter in the front lobby of the high school like most kids, Naruto left immediately to go to work. He'd been promoted to a waiter from bus boy a year ago, and it was very useful, the tips helped him out a lot more then the typical pay check of a bus boy.

* * *

He entered his place of employment not ten minutes after leaving the school. In the back room, he dropped his bag on the floor and checked himself in. He quickly changed his shirt to a black/blue polo with the McDonalds logo and a name tag that read, 'Naruto'.

"Hey Uzumaki," the door opened and the assistant manager stepped in to retrieve a pack of napkins to restock a few of the dispensers.

"Hey, Kyto," Naruto greeted him, rubbing his eyes and yawning loudly.

Kyto had been working at the fast food place for a few years, and had finally been made assistant manager a year ago, when he recommended Naruto to take his position as waiter.

"Mirii isn't here today, she called in sick so you'll be covering her section in the back left as well as your own, I figured you wouldn't mind a few extra bucks," Kyto smiled at him.

"Yea, thanks Kyto," Naruto nodded and took an order pad and a pen from one of the shelves before leaving Kyto to tend to his work.

His first table was a young couple with two kids, one that looked about four and the other three. They were both boys and tugging angrily at each others clothes and hair. They stopped however when they saw him coming.

"Hi, my name is Naruto, and I'll be serving you today, can I take your order?" he said the introduction that he used every day for a long time.

"Hi I'll take…" he didn't really hear the rest of the order as he robotically wrote down what the woman said.

"Ok, it'll be right out," he nodded and stuck his pen into the pocket on the front of his shirt. They thanked him and he went to clip the order behind the cashier's desk. He repeated this process with two old couples, a few small cliques from his school, a couple of teachers who were doing grades, and a creepy man.

The guy really unnerved him. He just kept looking at him, unblinking, almost glaring. To make it worse the man talked incredibly slow with somewhat slurred speech so Naruto had to stay under his inspective gaze longer.

His mood was brightened immediately when he heard Tetsuko's unforgettable half-giggle half-yell as she came through the door. He heard her talking to Kyto. she spoke so fast it was almost inaudible. His gaze rested on the little girl as he clipped up the creepy guy's order.

"I uh, think that Naruto is in the back left taking orders," Kyto anime sweat drop. He could hardly keep up with the bubbly little eight-year old.

"Isn't that where Mirii waits tables?" she asked, her head tilted to the side questioningly.

"She called in sick, so he's covering for her today,"

"Ok!" she grinned at him. "Thanks Kyto!" she skipped to the back, her bright pink back-pack bouncing under her fiery red hair.

Kyto walked over to Naruto who was watching her. "She's excited about something,"

"Yea, I told her that if she got a one hundred on her spelling test I'd buy her an Oreo Cyclone." He said.

"So that's what she was trying to tell me," he rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know how you can keep up with what she's saying kid,"

"Kyto, never have kids," Naruto stated as he walked away.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he called after him playfully.

Naruto walked quietly up behind Tetsuko who was setting her bag in her favorite booth. "Boo!" he whispered, grabbing her sides. She squealed and whirled around to hug him.

"Hi! Naruto nii-chan, guess what guess what? We got our spelling tests back today! Guess what I got guess what I got!!" she shifted restlessly from foot to foot.

"I don't know, maybe a…10?" he smiled when she put her hands on her hips and pouted.

"I'm not stupid nii-chan!" she grinned. "Guess again!" her excited yelling caught the attention of many of the bystanders and customers.

"I don't know Tetsuko, just tell me," he said.

"Naruto nii-chan!!" she clasped her hands together. "Fine! I'll tell you, I got a hundred!! So now you have to buy me an Oreo cyclone!"

"Good job kiddo," he congratulated her and smiled quickly. He looked over and saw that there was a group of girls sitting in his section. Actually, it was the girls from his gym class, Ino, Sakura Tenten and Hinata. He groaned.

Tetsuko followed his line of vision to the group of gossiping girls. "Can I take their orders?" she asked. Sometimes she liked to help him with work. She loved pretending that she was a waitress working alongside her cousin to help support them. Once in a while he'd say yes, and let the little girl take an order and then help him bring the customers their food. "Please? They look really nice and you haven't let me in forever!"

"Tetsuko,"

"I got a hundred on my spelling test so you have to be _extra_ nice to me today!" she begged. He'd never understand her fascination with waiting tables.

"Fine, do you remember what to say?" he asked. She nodded vigorously.

"Uh-huh!" she pushed her hair out of her face.

"Alright, make sure you write neatly, the guys behind the counter have to be able to read your hand writing, ok?" he told her. She nodded again and he handed her his order pad and pen. Naruto followed her over to the table and stood behind her.

"Hi! My name is Tetsuko and I'll be your waitress for today! Can I take your orders?" she asked, pen hovering above the pad, ready to write.

"Oh you're so cute!" Ino bent over to look at the little girl.

"Thank you!" Tetsuko smiled at her.

"H-hi, Naruto," Hinata nodded to him shyly. He nodded back.

"Well, Tetsuko-chan, I'll have a chicken salad," Sakura informed. "With ranch dressing,"

"Would you like your chicken grilled or fried?" she asked, scribbling down the order neatly.

Naruto couldn't help but smile a little, she was good at this.

"What do you think is better?" Sakura asked.

"Well, I like fried better, but Naruto nii-chan always makes me get grilled because it's healthier," she looked back at him annoyed before turning back to the girls with a smile.

"Well, if Naruto says it's better for you, then I'll have grilled," Sakura smiled. "Do you have lemonade?"

"Yep!" Tetsuko nodded and turned to the other girls.

"I'll have what she's having," Tenten concluded.

"Can I have a fruit salad please, with a glass of water?" Ino asked. Tetsuko nodded.

"What would you like, miss," Tetsuko turned expectantly to Hinata.

"I'll have a Big Mac meal with a Coca-cola," she said. She watched Tetsuko nod as she wrote down the order.

'_She's not ordering salad? Huh,_' Naruto thought. Weird, the rest of them did.

"Oi! Naruto, order up!" One of the cashiers called for him to deliver the steaming burgers to their table.

"Coming," he called back. "I'll be back in a minute Tetsuko," he left the little girl with the four teenagers.

"Aren't you a little young to be waiting tables, Tetsuko?" Sakura asked her.

"Yea, but it's fun! Naruto nii-chan lets me sometimes, I like to talk to people, 'specially pretty ladies like you guys," she smiled, clicking her pen

"Well, thanks, you're very pretty to!" Tenten grinned.

"We don't want to hold you up though, you're boss might fire you kiddo!" Ino joked.

"Oh yea!" Tetsuko looked genuinely scared for a second. "I'll go give them your order now! I don't want to get pink-slipped!" she took off to the cashiers counter to clip up the order.

* * *

'_She's so cute, is she Naruto's sister?_' Hinata wondered.

"I didn't know he worked here," Sakura said, playing with a bracelet on her wrist.

"How did you not know that, he works here all the time," Tenten leaned back in the booth. "I've never come in here without seeing him, except on Sundays."

"…How often do you come in here?" Ino asked raising a blonde eyebrow.

"What I like this place, I mean guys come in here all the time, you know how they love that fast food crap," Tenten defended hotly.

'_He works in here a lot? Maybe I should come here more…_' Hinata silently schemed up ways to see Naruto more often. She watched him as he brought orders to several tables.

The last table he went to seated a very unnerving man. He gave her chills. He was wearing a dark trench coat with the collar popped. She could see a chain around his neck that looked like it should have had dog tags on the end, but there was a thin piece of red metal shaped like a cloud instead.

He was white, though on first glance you would think he was blue. He was covered in tattoos. Even his shaved head had ink patterns every where. She could just see the outline a shark on the side of his face. When he opened his mouth to speak to Naruto, His bright white teeth flashed. His teeth frightened her. They looked as though someone had taken a file sharpened then because they were very pointed, very shark like.

She noticed that Naruto seemed a bit hesitant around him.

"Naruto nii-chan," Tetsuko called from the front counter. "I can't carry all of this on my own," he rolled his eyes playfully at her before helping her carry the order. He had a tray of drinks and two salads. She held the tray with a fruit salad and Big Mac. "Here's your order," she carefully and professionally set the tray down on the table. Naruto reached over her to put his tray behind it.

"Thank you very much Tetsuko," Ino smiled.

"Thanks Tetsuko, Naruto," Hinata blushed at his name.

"What do you say," Naruto put a hand on his little cousin's shoulder.

"Oh, right, you're welcome," she bowed her head quickly.

"Sorry about earlier you guys," Naruto apologized. "I fell asleep, I didn't intend for us to have to run laps," Ino sighed a bit angry at the thought.

"It's ok I guess," she crossed her arms.

"Also, I'm sorry I knocked you over," he turned to Hinata. "It was an accident,"

"Oh, n-no, i-it's p-perfectly o-ok N-Naruto," she stuttered. "K-Kiba pushed you; it wasn't your f-fault,"

"Someone pushed you?" Tetsuko whirled around to face him, looking a little angry. "We need to talk nii-chan!"

"Unh, right, well go sit down and start your homework kiddo, I'll take my break in a little while and we'll have dinner." He ushered her away. "Sorry again." He apologized before leaving them to their meals.

* * *

Naruto waited many more tables and collected at least thirty dollars in tips before he finally took his brake. The group of girls Tetsuko had played waitress for were still there, enjoying desserts. The blond waiter sat down in the corner booth occupied by Tetsuko with two chicken salads, grilled of course, and two glasses of lemonade.

"Alright food!" Tetsuko smiled excitedly and pushed her math book out of the way.

"So how was your day?" Naruto asked taking a bite of chicken hungrily.

"My day was fine, yours on the other hand doesn't sound very good," she looked up at him a little angry and a little worried. "You let somebody push you today?"

"Tetsuko, don't start,"

"No, you shouldn't let those mean kids bully you around! It won't do anything for your self esteem, or your grades. If they keep bullying you then your grades might start to slip or you might get hurt!" she gave him her usual lecture.

Ever since the elementary school had had an assembly about the effects of bullying she'd been fussing over him like an over protective mother, which was strange for an eight year old.

"They're only mean to you because they're insecure and want to make themselves feel better, but you can't let them do that or you'll feel really bad all the time!"

He sighed. The whole of the restaurant could probably hear her lecture him on his bully problems and his inferiority complex.

"…they're not better then you at all! They just think that they are because you don't stand up for yourself! A lot of bullied children and teenagers often end up clinically depressed you know, and they kill themselves!! You need to tell them to stop or tell an adult because you can't kill yourself nii-chan! I'd be all alone and I'd be sad so you can't get depressed and kill yourself or I'll never forgive you!!"

Clinically depressed? That was a new one. They _had_ to stop having anti-bully assemblies. "Tetsuko, I'm not going to kill myself, I promise, ok? Now stop you're embarrassing the hell out of me!" he glared at her, his face red.

He could already here Ino's gossip speech about him in lunch tomorrow. He didn't like how it sounded.

"Well then stop letting them bully you!!" she replied hotly.

"Alright!" he grabbed her hand in his. "Now just hush up ok? You're being really loud, and I only have ten minutes left in my brake so let's talk about something other then my social issues ok?"

She sighed and pulled her hand away from him to pick up her glass and take a sip of lemonade. "So…can I try out for soccer this year?" she asked looking up hopefully but begrudgingly at the same time.

"When are the practices?" he asked. She brightened up. It was a good thing she was eight and had a short attention span or she'd never have stopped.

"Right after school, they go from three o'clock to four-thirty. They're every day except the weekends, and the games are always on Fridays." She said. "We'd only need to pay for the uniform and cleats, so it wouldn't be to expensive,"

"Well, I don't know," he thought for a minute. He was already in a financial hole, if he had to pay for Tetsuko to join the soccer team, he might dig it just a little deeper.

"Please?" she clasped her hands together.

'_Aw, look at that face? How can you resist that?_' But what good would it do her to play soccer if they were homeless? He was behind on the rent as it was.

"I promise I'll try extra hard on my school work, and I'll play extra good in practice and I'll play extra, _extra_ good in the games, please?" he couldn't resist her adorable pouting face.

'_The soccer team means a lot to her you can't just say no, besides, it'll be good for her to be out playing her favorite sport then sitting in a McDonalds until midnight like she does now._' That was true. She had a lot of pent up energy that recess and gym class couldn't relieve her of, soccer would do her good. "Ok," he agreed. He could feel his already light wallet ebbing away into nothing.

"Alright! Thank you so much!" she ate her last peace of chicken and looked up at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked.

"What do you say nii-chan?" she said in her mock voice.

"Your welcome Tetsuko," he rolled his eyes. She gave him her look again. "What now?"

"You owe me a cyclone remember nii-chan?!" she said, eyes wide.

"Come here," he growled jokingly. She got out of her seat and plopped herself in his lap. He pulled her hair back over her shoulders and started to braid the hair on the top of her head. "I'm proud of you for getting a hundred, Tetsuko," he told her as he skillfully put her red hair in a French braid.

She leaned forward a little and closed her eyes. She loved it when he did her hair for her. It meant he was in a good mood, so he didn't do it very often unless she begged and pleaded. He was very gentle and very good at French braids, unlike many other people who have tried to play with her hair. He was soon finished and she twisted around in his lap to hug him. He kissed the top of her head and pushed her off of him.

"Now sit back down and do the rest of your homework. I'll go get you your Oreo Cyclone, ok? Then I have to get back to work." He said. "I'm working the later shift again so we'll be here for a while. Kyto might let us go home a little early if I finish this stuff up early."

"Ok, nii-chan, and hurry up with that cyclone!" she pulled her braid over her left shoulder and sat down in the booth again. Math homework, ew, it was division to. She was a smart kid and had skipped the second grade so she was with classmates who were all older then her. She hated long division though.

Naruto went over to the counter. "Hey, Rika, would you mind making an O.C for Tetsuko?" he asked leaning over the porcelain structure.

"Sure, Naruto," she was a fairly pretty girl with curly brown hair and freckles. Her teeth were covered in metal though, and the braces weren't very attractive on her. Neither were her huge round glasses.

She'd developed somewhat of a crush on the Uzumaki. She always did whatever he asked of her, which was usually to get a speedy meal for Tetsuko.

She was young, fourteen, but had gotten a better paying job then bus girl because she was the manager's daughter. Had Kyto not had to listen to his superiors she would be washing tables not making food. Oh well.

"So, uh, how have you been?" she asked nervously.

"Fine," he lied. She didn't need to know the extent of his life story. He figured he might as well talk to her. "You?"

"Great! I uh, I might get my braces off in a week or two!" she smiled, flashing her metal mouth. "I'm so excited,"

"Cool," he nodded. A yawn escaped him with a cough. "I bet you'll be really pretty when you get rid of them," he added.

"You think?" she blushed. "Oh! And I'm getting contacts to! And a hair cut to go with it all!" she tucked an unruly curl behind her ear.

"That's awesome Rika," he said. He noticed then that Hinata Sakura Ino and Tenten were talking to Tetsuko. Ino handed her something and they started coming to the front where they stopped to pay. Hinata inched her way over to where Naruto and Rika were talking. He'd never known Hinata that well, but she was pretty nice.

"H-hi, Naruto," she said. "Thank you for, uh," Crap, what was she thanking him for?! "For bringing us our food!" she finished. Oh, yea, that was clever.

"No problem," he nodded. Hinata blushed.

Rika knotted her eyebrows. Oh no, she was not trying to talk to _her_ Naruto!

"So, uh, is Tetsuko you're s-sister? I h-have a little sister," she clasped her hands behind her back.

"No, she's his cousin," Rika put in. "She's eight but she's in fourth grade because she's really smart. She's also really sweet isn't she?" That's right! Rika knew the road to Naruto's heart. He liked people who liked Tetsuko. He was very protective of her.

"O-oh," she smiled sheepishly.

"Rika, can you check on that O.C?" he asked.

"Sure," she turned around.

"You're name's Hinata, right?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. He kind of liked her. She was nice, and she seemed to be kind towards Tetsuko.

"Y-yea, Hinata Hyuuga, I'm N-Neji's cousin, you were friends with him r-right?" she asked. She was slowly on the road to getting to know him a little better.

"For a month or so yea," he sighed. "Not any more though,"

"Oh," her eyes flickered to her friends as they walked over.

"Hope, you don't mind, we tipped Tetsuko over there," Ino said. She looked him up and down. He looked a lot less grungy when he showered after gym. He was even wearing a different shirt, granted it was his work uniform.

"Yea, that's ok," he said.

"Here's Tetsuko's O.C, Naruto," Rika handed it to him with a metallic smile.

"Thanks," he reached into his pocket to get the three dollars necessary to pay for it.

"Oh! I'll pay for it! My treat for the kid," Sakura offered. He'd had a crush on her when they were younger, but she'd always liked Sasuke, and Sasuke never liked her, so he didn't ever get to talk to her. She was never particularly nice to him either.

"No, I shouldn't let you do that," he shook his head.

"No, really, think of it as our tip to you," she said, placing three singles on the counter.

"Thanks." He said.

"Well, we should be going, Neji will kill us if we don't get you home on time, Hinata," Tenten joked.

"Ha, ha," Hinata closed her eyes and then looked back to Naruto quickly. "Good bye!" she smiled sheepishly and started walking.

* * *

The trio of her friends followed soon after. When they were outside and safely out of earshot, they began their analysis. "Well, I'm proud of you Hinata, you talked to him," Tenten grinned.

"I still don't understand why you like him. He hardly ever showers, he only has like two outfits and he's always tired and unenthusiastic about everything!" Ino threw her arms out to her sides. "And have you seen the dark circles under his eyes? They're huge!"

"There's nothing wrong with him!" Hinata defended.

"I never really liked him, but he is really nice," Sakura commented. "He's also good with kids! He's so cute with Tetsuko!"

"He can even braid hair," Tenten said.

"I still say he's gross, he's probably a drug addict to! I bet he smokes a joint every chance he gets." Ino added. "He lives in the shittiest part of town to top it all off,"

"Neji nii-san says that he used to be very happy and excited about every thing until the middle of eighth grade." Hinata said.

"So? Nobody liked him then and nobody likes him now, save for you Hinata," Ino huffed. "He's a loser!"

"He used to be Sasuke's best friend though you know," Sakura said, a small glint in her eyes.

"Hm, Sasuke," Ino blushed and smiled dreamily. "I don't understand why, Sasuke's to cool for him." She put her hands on her hips and waited for Tenten to unlock the doors to her Mercedes convertible.

Tenten was the adopted child of a fairly wealthy family. Ino and Sakura were middle class. The Hyuuga family was incredibly rich. They had a very impressive family tree and Hinata's father owned a very prominent law firm.

"Oh be quiet Ino," Tenten growled as she climbed into her front seat. Sakura climbed in next to her and Ino and Hinata occupied the back.

"We should come back here tomorrow," Sakura suggested, turning back to grin at Hinata.

* * *

Several hours later, at around eleven forty-five, Naruto was wiping down tables and booths. Kyto had a mop and was scrubbing furiously at a large stain on the tile.

"How'd you do for tips Naruto?" Kyto asked.

"I made around a hundred dollars. It's not enough to pay the rent or the bills though," Naruto sighed.

Kyto was aware of Naruto's situation; he just didn't know that he had absolutely no adult figure at all. "Ah, well, it's a start right?"

"Yea, I guess," Naruto swiped over one final table and followed Kyto to the back room where they put away their cleaning supplies and changed their shirts back to their regular clothes.

"I saw Rika was eyeing you again." Kyto raised an eyebrow.

"I don't have any interest in dating a fourteen year old. I have enough shit on my plate anyway." He slung his bag over his shoulders. "She'll grow out of her crush eventually anyway."

"I don't know." Kyto said yawning. "If you keep leading her on,"

"I was just being nice. I didn't mean anything by that comment about how she'll be pretty other then that she'd be pretty." He exited the room. Kyto flicked off the lights and locked the door before going into the back to make sure all the grills and fryers and lights were turned off.

"That's not what she thinks," he called.

Naruto walked to the corner booth where Tetsuko had fallen asleep with her backpack as her pillow. She had a firm grip on her braid. She'd probably been playing with it as she dozed off a few hours ago. "Well I can't help what she thinks."

"Yea, yea," Kyto rolled his eyes as he came back out of the kitchen behind the counter with two trash bags. "Tetsuko gave you one hell of a lecture today too didn't she?" he snickered.

"Aw, shut up Kyto, it the school's fault she's like that they have so many damn assemblies on that shit. Tetsuko-chan," Naruto shook her shoulder. She opened her eyes a little and released her braid, reaching her arms above her head to stretch. "We have to go, come on, get your books packed up and put your sweater on, I have to help Kyto with the trash ok?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded, not fully conscious as she sat up and closed her books to pack them, rather clumsily.

"Well, I still think it's funny, I could hear her all the way in the kitchen. Masa nearly had a heart attack he was laughing so hard." He laughed again. His gaze rested on her as he stood there. "You really need to find someone to watch her for you," Kyto commented as he waited for Naruto to join him with his own trash bags for their expedition to the dumpster outside.

"I can't do that. I don't have the time to look, or the money to pay, for a babysitter. Besides I think she enjoys coming here after school." He said. He backed up into the door to open it and he crossed the parking lot with Kyto. They each set down one bag

"One, two, three!" Kyto counted down. They both took a deep breathe and opened the dumpster quickly to throw in their bags. The distinct smell of rotting food and probably a dead rat surrounded them. They let the top drop and made a run for it to get back to the fresh air.

"Ugh, I'll never get used to that!" Naruto brushed himself off as if to remove any remnants of the stench.

"I know, I think something died in there," Kyto rubbed his watering eyes.

"Probably," Naruto added as he opened the door to reenter, the stench gone.

Tetsuko walked over to him, her back pack on her shoulders, in a bit of a daze.

"Come on kiddo, let's go home." Naruto picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck, quickly falling back asleep in his arms. She was a little small for her age and so she was very light and easy to carry.

Kyto flipped the light switch, darkening the restaurant completely and locked the door with his key. "You get some sleep now, I'll see you guys tomorrow!" he called as he made his was over to his Volvo.

"Bye Kyto," Naruto called back. Next came the ever pleasant walk home. Oh boy.

There were a lot of street lights in the downtown area, and under almost all of them, there was a man in a leather jacket with a cigarette in his mouth who would ask what you were buying.

Every once in a while he'd come across a late night hooker who'd ask him 'how he liked it'.

"Hey baby, you wanna hang out?" one of the half-naked girls on the corner pointed to her mouth. "No gag reflex!"

He shook his head and kept walking. Finally he made it to his apartment building and climbed the stairs, tightly gripping the railing as he went to the top and fourth floor. He stuck his key in the lock and went inside, speedily locking the door behind him. He entered the empty room and went down the hallway to Tetsuko's room, where he pulled back her blue and pink butterfly comforter and sheets. He took her bag off of her shoulders and freed her of her sweater.

"Are you going to change, Tetsuko?" he asked the little girl in his arms. She unconsciously nodded and he set her down and turned around so she could slip into her night gown. He heard her climb into her bed and she moved over to the other side of the single bed.

She looked up at him expectantly. "Are you going to stay in here?" she asked. He sighed and dropped his bag, t-shirt and shorts so he was in a wife beater and flannel boxer shorts.

Naruto climbed in next to her and pulled the blankets over her and himself. "Goodnight Tetsuko," he kissed her forehead and they both fell asleep the second their heads hit the pillows.

* * *

_The hall way was loud with the noise of twelve to fourteen year olds discussing there plans for that weekend._

"_Hey, you wanna hang out at my house tonight? I have that new Play Station 2 game, you can bring Tetsuko if you want, It's not as bloody as the commercials say so it would be appropriate for her." Sasuke asked as he closed his locker._

_Naruto was down on one knee in front of his locker packing it with a few school books. He didn't reply._

"_Naruto, are you listening?" he bent over to make eye contact and glare._

"_I have to work Sasuke, sorry, maybe some other time." He said._

"_Again? It's Friday, you worked all of last week and the week before that too," he raised an eyebrow. "What the hell happened over winter break that made you get so damn busy all of a sudden?"_

"_Nothing, I just got a job," he said, zipping up his bag and yawning as he closed his locker._

"_You're going to make yourself sick," an idea struck him. "Or is that why you have to work all of a sudden, is it getting worse?"_

"_No, it's got nothing to do with _that_. I just need to work is all." He sighed._

"_What is your stupid aunt not feeding you guys or something?" Sasuke closed his locker as well._

"_No, that's not it, just drop it ok?" he turned around. "It's none of your business anyway." He muttered._

"_What's your problem lately?" Sasuke asked, following him down the hall._

"_Nothing, I just can't hang out ok I just have to work that's _all_, alright? Leave me alone," he said._

_Sasuke stopped in his tracks and Naruto kept on walking. Something in his voice told Sasuke that he didn't really have any intention to hang out with him at all, and it frustrated him. Something was going on, something Naruto wasn't telling him. But if Naruto didn't want to hang-out anymore, then maybe they just shouldn't be friends any more._

_That was a hard thought to process. Sasuke didn't like many people, and he was a complete asshole to nearly everybody, including Naruto. But Naruto had been his best friend since pre-school, and since he couldn't remember anything prior to meeting the blond, that was forever. Naruto had even been there when his mom had died._

_But if Naruto didn't want to be his friend anymore, then he wouldn't push it. He had other friends. Naruto was the one who would end up by himself. If he wanted to work instead, so be it._

_He continued down the hallway and left the school to go home by himself._

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so this wasn't the most exciting chapter ever, and it wasn't ridiculously well written, but the thing with this story is, after I have it started, I know EXACTLY what I'm going to write so it will suck MUCH less then it does right now, cross my heart and hope to die. Alright, so please REVIEW and tell me what you think, constructive criticism is welcome and would be very useful.**

**-Wicka**

* * *


	3. Chapter 2

**Authors Note:**** God I take forever!! ****I'm sorry.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

"You can do it Tetsuko!" A nine year old girl hollered from the side lines of the Konoha elementary Soccer Team Try-outs. They were being held at the High School foot-ball field. The actual soccer field was undergoing maintenance.

"Make it…!" Tetsuko kicked the black and white ball as hard as she could between two experienced High School Soccer players who were helping with the kiddy try-outs. With amazing force the soccer ball blew right by the two soccer players and in between the goal posts. "Alright!!" she squealed and threw her fist up in the air. She turned to look at her friend who was sitting in on the metal bleachers near the edge of the field. "Did you _see_ that kick!?" She hollered proudly. The teenagers laughed a little at the enthusiasm she held.

"Yea! You're awesome Tetsuko!" the girl stood and threw her fist in the air as well, her long black pony-tail flowing behind her. She giggled, the sun reflecting beautifully in her onyx eyes.

"Alright, thank you, Tetsuko, Samii Yoru, you're up!" Tetsuko ran off the field and threw her arms around her friend as she climbed down from the bleachers.

"You definitely made the team Tetsuko!" Samii smiled, returning the embrace.

"Yea, so you better make it to Samii!" Samii nodded. Tetsuko climbed into the bleachers and watched excitedly as her friend bounced the ball on her knees and then off her forehead. She pressed her cleats down on the ball when it landed on the ground.

Samii had been her best friend since she left the kids her age to join the older class a few years ago. They were both Soccer nuts and exceptionally smart as well.

"Alright, Samii, you have to get the ball through the High School team as best you can, if you can make a goal, then you're most likely going to have the privilege of calling yourself a Konoha Hawk," the team coach informed her.

"Yes Coach!" Samii saluted her and jogged to the end of the bright green grass. Her father was a fairly successful military captain and so Samii had grown up using terms like 'Sir' and using salutes when speaking to authority figures.

"You can do it Samii!" Tetsuko cheered from the sidelines as she dodged the High school kids who were advancing on her. One surprised girl squealed when Samii kicked the ball between her legs and speedily ran around her to catch up to it.

When she was about three quarters of the way down the field, one of the boys (this was a co-ed team) kicked the ball away from her and she jumped after it, skillfully stealing back from another player who wasn't paying attention.

"Go Samii Go!" Tetsuko cheered the loudest over the many other kids on the bleachers. She made to kick the ball past defense and into the goal, but one of the defenders stopped it and kicked it into the air, head butting it to one of the girls behind Samii.

The coach blew the whistle. "Times up!"

Samii growled at them and jogged over to meet Tetsuko at the bleachers. "I lost the ball twice! I'll never make the team now!" she complained, clutching her head.

"Sure you will! You got it back the first time and if you had a little more time you would have gotten it back again! Most of the kids here didn't even get that close to the goal!" she encouraged her pulling her ponytail behind her shoulders.

"Yea, but you didn't lose the ball once and you scored a goal too! I suck compared to you!" Samii pointed out crossing her arms with a sigh.

"So? That's just 'cause I have lots of pent up energy, you did awesome, I'd stake my life on it, you definitely made the team!" the two of the hugged each other and jumped up and down laughing loudly.

They squealed as water splashed over the two of them. "Pipe down you two!"

The girls looked up to see one of the boys glaring down at them with blue eyes from behind black bangs. "You'll pay for that later Andii! When you least expect it I'll get you!" Samii threatened. Tetsuko reimbursed her with a 'YEA!' and vigorous nod of her head.

"Now I'm all wet!" she looked down. She wore Naruto's old Soccer Jersey from when he was on the team in the fourth grade. It had been baggy on her, but now it clung to her shoulders like a second skin. She was also wearing his old hand-me-down shorts and some cleats that were falling apart. "These shoes are gonna fall apart if they get wet,"

"Well that sucks for you!" Andii glared down at her. "AH!" he yelped when a pebble made contact with his head.

"That's what you get for being mean to my friends!" Samii stuck her tongue out at him. "And you got _me_ all wet too!" Samii gestured to her Konoha Hawk uniform from last year. It consisted of a nylon black jersey with a red Hawk that had eyes drawn like leaves. Her brand new black and red cleats glistened from the water.

"Andii Toru, you're up!" the female coach called, checking off a name on her clip-board.

"You win this round Samii," he glared before jumping down from the bleachers to go try out.

* * *

"Where's Tetsuko today? She's late," Kyto pointed out as they stood loading their arms with packs of napkins and a bucket of ketchup to reload the dispensers.

"I told her two weeks ago that she could try out for soccer, and that I'd pay for it if she made the team," he sighed. He was getting farther and farther behind in his rent and his bills and he was really low on food too.

"That will set you back if she makes it won't it?" he asked picking up the bucket of ketchup with both hands clutching the handle.

"You mean _when_ she makes the team, she's a great soccer player." He said. With two boxes of napkins under his arms, he backed up into the door to open it. Kyto walked past him, struggling slightly with his ketchup bucket. "But yea it will, it's a fifteen dollar registration fee, twenty bucks for a uniform and forty for a pair of cleats."

"Damn," Kyto said lugging the bucket to the counter and lifting it with a grunt on to the metal surface. "Are you gonna be able to buy food?"

"I don't know, I hope so," he said, putting his napkin cases on the ground and opening the ketchup pump so Kyto could refill it.

"I could-ugh, this thing is heavy-cover your dinners here for a while if you need me to," he finished filling the pump and put the bucket down to re-cap it.

"That'd be great but you know I'd never be able to pay you back," he looked over at him as he open the napkin dispenser a shoved in a few piles.

"No problem, I don't mind, besides, when I get done with college in a couple of years, I'll have a job as a lawyer and it won't matter," he said as he started off to the back room to rid himself of the ketchup bucket.

"You haven't even applied to a college yet, have you?" Naruto called after him.

"I will!" he replied before he disappeared into the back room.

Naruto rolled his eyes and carried his napkin boxes around to various tables to fill the napkin dispensers on them. He saw that Sasuke was sitting at one of the booths and noticed that, thankfully, most of the dispensers in that area were filled.

Business was steady, but there weren't huge numbers of people there that day. Hinata, Sakura, Tenten and Ino weren't there. For the past two weeks they had come in nearly every day, either together or separately. They were probably at home studying for their math exam. Naruto was in that class as well, but he couldn't exactly find a study group somewhere.

Mirii had come back to work. She had been out for a week due to a bad fever. But she was currently covering for Naruto while he helped Kyto restock various things. She was a short and petite but fiery girl. She had spiky brown hair and emerald eyes. She was also the record holder for the most piercings among the employees. She had seven in her right ear, five in her left, three nose rings, two in her right eye brow and one in her lower lip. To top it all off her left arm was almost completely covered in tattoos.

"Oi, Naruto, hurry it up ok, I still don't feel all that great and I'm not in the mood to cover for you all night." She said as she passed him to clip up four orders.

"I'll be done in a second Mirii," he replied, picking up his napkin boxes and heading for the back room. Kyto held the door open for him on his way out and then went to do something else.

"Yes, yes, YES!!" Tetsuko burst through the door excitedly and looked around enthusiastically for Naruto. When she didn't see him right away, she looked for someone else to dump her news on. Kyto was no where to be found and Mirii looked busy, and she didn't really know anyone behind the counter other then Rika, but Rika kind of freaked her out. Her metal mouth was blinding. Then she saw Sasuke. She hadn't seen or spoken with him in a while but she still considered him her friend, and dubbed him suitable to talk to.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, SASUKE!" she jogged over to him excitedly and jumped up and down in front of him, her hair and damp clothes swinging around her. "You'll never guess what happened!!"

Sasuke was taken aback for a moment. He hadn't spoken to the red-head in a year or two. He'd once considered her to be his little sister just as much as he thought of Naruto as his brother. She was always at his house, usually spending the night with Naruto. He didn't really know if he wanted to say anything to her at all, but she was so ecstatic, he may as well humor her. Shunning Tetsuko never ended well. "…What?"

"I made the soccer team! I'm a Konoha Hawk just like you and nii-chan used to be!" she squealed, tugging on his t-shirt sleeve. He didn't try to pull from her grip, but wasn't that keen on having her hanging off his arm. "Isn't that amazing?! Don't you think Naruto will be proud of me?! The High School team didn't take the ball from me once _and_ I scored a goal!"

"That's…great…" he said, rather awkwardly.

"What's she doing now," Naruto raised an eyebrow as he heard Tetsuko's giggle/yell. He opened the door to find her talking to Sasuke. Great, this would end well. He walked over to join them. He stood behind her, hands on his hips. "Tetsuko, leave him alone,"

She whirled around with a huge grin plastered on her face and tackled him, nearly toppling him over. "I made the team Naruto!! Aren't you so proud of me?!"

"Y-yea, Tetsuko that's awesome!" he congratulated her with a hug. "Now go get started on your homework okay? You can tell me all about it over dinner when I take my break, alright?" he put her down on her feet.

"Uh-huh!" she skipped to her booth chanting "I'm a Konoha Hawk!" over and over, barely able to contain herself..

"Sorry about that." Naruto nodded to him and turned to leave, never making eye contact.

"Naruto," Sasuke started.

Naruto sighed heavily. Being a waiter, and Sasuke being a customer, he had no choice but to turn around and listen. "Do you want to order something?" he asked, lifting his order pad and pen. He was attempting to put on a smile.

"No, I was wondering if…" he paused, sighed gruffly and then continued. "Never mind, just get me a soda." Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from the blond for a moment, feeling very idiotic.

"Yea sure," He didn't bother to ask what kind he wanted. He already knew that from past experience, Coke with no ice, large.

* * *

Tetsuko rolled over in her bed. She was excited to have made the soccer team, but when the tryouts were over, she was left alone again. All of her friends were picked up by their parents. Sometimes even their siblings. But no one was going to come and pick her up. She'd watched people with their families before. She'd always wondered what it would be like if her mother had never left. She could barely remember what the woman looked like. And she'd never even met her father.

What would it be like if her Mommy and Daddy had stayed with her, or if they'd loved her? Naruto loved her. She knew that, and she loved him to. But she still felt empty, because her mother had never really cared for her. After all, what kind of mother would give her the name she had? Tetsuko, it was a horrible name. '_But she's my mommy! Of course she loves me, Andii is a mean little brat and his mommy loves him!_' No. Yako didn't love her. Hell, the woman could barely look at her without an expression of annoyance or distain. She didn't even like her daughter.

Tetsuko sighed. She needed Naruto. "Nii-chan," The young red-head yawned and held her old, thread-bare blanket tightly around her as she walked into the living room. Naruto had two brown, hot chocolate scented Yankee candles in front of him. "Why are you still awake?"

"Hm," he looked up at her from his spot on the floor. In front of him was his math book and notes. "I didn't have enough time to finish my homework in lunch today, so I have to do it now, and I don't get it."

She sighed, Naruto was actually very smart, but he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. He could only grasp so much with all the other things he had on his mind. "Let me see it," Tetsuko sat herself in his lap. He laughed quickly.

"No offense, but you're in fourth grade, you won't get it anymore then I do," he said. She elbowed him in the stomach as she looked at the book. He rubbed his sore gut, looking over the shoulder of the eight year old. "What was that for?"

"What's the problem type called?" she asked, ready to flip the page if necessary. She was barely able to keep her eyes open.

"It's called-" he was cut off when she pointed to a section on the page.

"Never mind," she yawned. Tetsuko rubbed her eyes. "It tells you how to do it right here, nii-chan, your eyes are probably just to tired to notice." She sighed and twisted around in his lap. "Nii-chan…" she paused. She was contemplating weather or not she should finish asking her question. "…Where did Mommy go…? When she left us I mean," she shifted uncomfortably. Parents were a touchy subject for Naruto, she could never get anything out of him when she asked him about his own parents, why they'd left him with Yako. He always said he didn't want to talk about it and then find something to busy himself with.

Naruto froze for a moment, and then wrapped his arms around her. "Yako," he paused. He knew she'd want to know about her mother eventually. He also knew he was the only one who knew where she was and therefore the only one who would be able to tell her. "Yako went to New York City,"

"That's on the East Coast right?" she looked up at him. "Where Haamonii is gonna go to school?" Haamonii was one of the waitresses that Tetsuko had grown up around. She was going to go to college at Harvard. She was currently taking her classes online while she waited for the manager to find a replacement for her.

"Yea," he nodded. "But a little farther north, a different state then where Haamonii is going."

"Oh," she tried to be alert but her eyelids closed quickly. It never took long for her to fall asleep, she was always very tired. Naruto kept her in his lap as he continued his homework.

He wasn't cut out for this. He loved Tetsuko more then anything in the world, and he would die before he'd let anything happen to her. But the quiet, responsible, hard working person he had been trying to be wasn't at all who he was. It was who he needed to be. He had to keep the two of them together. That was something that was getting harder and harder to do.

* * *

The next morning Hinata woke up before her alarm clock and turned it off before it could start with its wretched beeping. She hadn't been to see Naruto in two days, and she had lunch with him today! She giggled and grabbed a blue t-shirt and jeans to change into. She never showered in the morning, she didn't enjoy fighting Neji for it, and he took a while anyway.

She retrieved her iPod from her desk and pocketed her purple cell phone before she rushed downstairs. She'd made it her job to prepare breakfast for herself and Neji, as they were the early risers. Her father and younger sister preferred to sleep in. She considered it a blessing. Hinata was a very patient person, but to much time around her family early in the morning was enough to drive even her insane.

"Hm," she cracked a few eggs into her frying pan and started to scramble them with a stainless steel spatula. "Maybe I could i-invite him to sit with u-us,"

"Who?" Neji walked into the room, his long chestnut hair completely askew and his drawstring sweats hanging a bit low.

"Eh?" she jumped and nearly knocked the cast iron pan onto her foot. "N-Neji n-nii-san, w-what a-are y-you," she stuttered out, utterly humiliated at how easily she had been scared.

"Waiting for my food," he raised an eyebrow. "So who are you going to sit with today?"

She added a pinch of pepper her eggs before turning to face him, trying hard to keep from turning red. "I-it's n-none of y-your-"

"Ah, so it's Naruto," he smirked when Hinata blushed furiously and whirled around to return her attention to her cooking. "You shouldn't hang out with him, Hinata,"

"W-why is th-that?" she asked, her face still beat red.

"Because, he's on something, I can tell," Neji said. "He lives in the shitty part of town, he works all the time but never has any money, he always looks sickly and tired, and he can't run half a lap without running out of breathe,"

"You d-don't know a-anything a-about him." She defended timidly.

"Hinata, listen to me, don't bother with him, I don't want him pushing any of that crap on you," Neji replied stretching his arms over his head. She brought him his breakfast with an attempt at a glare plastered on her face. "Thank you,"

She considered Neji's words. Naruto wasn't at all like Neji made him out to be, was he? Hinata wondered silently. No, he cared far too much for Tetsuko to be doing drugs. She didn't know why, but, it seemed as though everything Naruto did was for her. It appeared as though he didn't do anything for himself, nothing, and that was something you did not see everyday. Someone like that was not the type of person who you'd see getting high off of some drug. Forget Neji, she was inviting Naruto to sit with them.

* * *

"Nii-chan, I'm so tired today," Tetsuko yawned. She was riding on Naruto's back, and he had his bag hanging from his neck as he carried her to school.

"Well you should've stayed in bed last night instead of getting up." He resolved. "You don't get enough sleep as it is,"

"I get plenty of sleep, it's you who doesn't sleep," she replied hotly. For someone so young, she'd already developed a motherly instinct. "Put me down, I'll walk inside myself," she jumped down and stuck her tongue out at him before quickly crossing the street and joining Samii to go inside.

"Heh," Naruto relieved his neck of his bag and threw it over his shoulder. When he had the High School in his sights, he heard laughs from behind him and turned his head just in time to be pushed into the bone dry dirt on the edge of the side walk.

"Watch your step Uzumaki!" Kiba called back as he continued walking.

Naruto inhaled a cloud of dust. "Fuck," he clutched the cracked ground and the painful feeling in his chest and the itching feeling in his made him cough.

Kiba's laughing slowed. "Heh…heh…" he swallowed when he realized Naruto's coughing fit wasn't letting up. "Are you, ok?" he slowly walked back to where the blond was lying. Naruto had begun pounding on his chest. Kiba was genuinely concerned at that moment.

"W-cough-water," he panted as he reached for his bag and grabbed his water bottle frantically and chugged about half of it. "Fuck," the coughing stopped after he took another sip of water. He remained on his knees, catching his breathe as he screwed the top back on the bottle and replaced it in his bag and slowly, almost shakily, returned to a standing position.

"Uh," Kiba stood there dumbly. Various other students were walking past, fixing their uniforms, applying a little make-up, or adjusting their hair styles. They were not really interested in the exchange. Being preoccupied with other activities or people, they all figured that Kiba had just punched him or something of the sort. A happening like that was not uncommon.

"Fuck, off," Naruto shot him a half-hearted death glare and continued on his journey to the front doors of the school, still wheezing slightly.

Kiba resolved that nothing had happened. Naruto was fine, and he wouldn't get into trouble of any sort. He saw Shikamaru and Temari walking past on the opposite side of the street. "Oi, Shikamaru!" he rushed over to him, barely dodging a car that stopped abruptly, horn honking and driver yelling.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Shikamaru asked, the question wasn't really directed towards Kiba.

The trio stopped to wait for the remainder of their group beneath an old tree with low, thick branches. It was ten feet or so from the doors and not much farther from the student parking lot behind them or the main entrance to the campus in front.

Shikamaru jumped onto one of the branches, lying down on it's nearly flat surface. He could see the clouds pretty clearly through the bright green leaves. He crossed his legs, which were parallel with the rough, almost black trunk

"Did you just get into a fight with the Uzumaki kid again?" Temari raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips. She considered herself above petty bullying. She didn't bother with that type of thing unless it would result in a fight of real stature. However that didn't mean she would try to stop others from being bullies, they could do whatever the hell they wanted, unless they were after someone she knew and was close to.

"Yea, what's it to you?" Kiba crossed his arms and turned to Shikamaru. The Nara had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He lit it with a red lighter, pocketed it and folded his arms behind his head. "So, when I pushed Uzumaki onto the ground, he started coughing. It was kind of weird. Do you think there's something wrong with him?" he asked the carefree teen.

"So now you give a damn?" Temari rolled her eyes, dropping her bag on the ground and sitting on it, her back against the tree. Her glance was caught by the cigarette. "Don't smoke those cancer sticks around me, coat your lungs as thickly as you like with tar but leave me the hell out of it." She stood again momentarily and ripped it from his mouth, tossing it in the dirt where she smothered it with the heel of her shoe.

"What the hell woman!" he growled, tilting his head to glare at her. "Ugh, how troublesome," He decided he'd had enough of the two of them, and jumped down to the ground, picking up his bag. Shikamaru shoved his hands in his pockets and pushed on ahead mumbling something about 'troublesome women'.

"What a crybaby he is," Temari sighed gruffly. She watched Sasuke brush by Kiba, stalking forward looking a little more pissed off then usual. "Hey, Uchiha, what's your problem, still unemployed?" she smirked.

"Shut up Temari," he said. He stopped, but never took his eyes off the dirty cement path in front of him.

"Touchy are we?" she laughed, running a hand through her blonde bangs.

"Eh, leave him alone, he's just pissed because daddy cut him off," Kiba snickered, shifting the wait of his bag so it was displaced to his right shoulder. "Ah! What the hell!" he tenderly rubbed the back of his head where the heel of Neji's hand had made contact. He was always bruising due to the Hyuuga's abusive habits.

"Don't be an idiot Kiba," Neji sighed, seating himself on Shikamaru's abandoned branch. "How's the job hunt coming?"

Sasuke turned to face them.

"Sasuke!" One of the annoying girls spotted him. "Neji, Kiba!" came the cry of their fan club as they rushed over squealing. "Sasuke, hi!" The men in their group were recognized among females of all ages in the school, and pined after as they were the best looking. Temari especially disliked them. She couldn't stand ditsy fan girls. They were very annoying.

"Fine," Sasuke replied while shrinking out of the grip of one of the girls that surrounded them. Kiba and Neji seemed not to notice. Temari was a bit angry.

"HEY, all of you!" her voice rang out. "Get the hell away before I beat your asses!"

The ever present fear of Temari caused the girls to back away for a moment, a few of them left. The majority of them decided to just stand there and stare at the attractive teenage males, totally aware of Temari's hawk eyes.

"Not getting anywhere huh?" Neji continued the conversation. His pearl eyes were focused elsewhere, on Hinata, as she found Tenten, Ino and Sakura. His gaze gravitated slightly more towards Tenten then the other girls.

"His emo-face behavior probably scares people to much." He yelped when Neji's foot hit him. "Will you stop that?" Kiba backed away a little.

"Did you have anywhere in mind?" Temari asked. She rested her chin in her hands.

"There's only one place that has an opening." Sasuke answered.

* * *

"You all remembered your research papers didn't you?" the History teacher, a red-eyed woman with long curly drown hair asked. A nod from the class told her yes. "Alright pass them forward." She went from row to row collecting the stacks of paper. She saw that Naruto had rested his head on his desk, his eye lids drooping. She walked over to him, and with a snap of her fingers he sat up, looking at her face for a moment. "You will stay awake, and you will pay attention, you will not fall asleep in my class, lest I haunt your dreams," she said solemnly. The class snickered at him.

The odd thing about this teacher was that when she threatened to haunt the dreams of a sleeping student, she really, truly did. The superstitious students, (which included all but one or two) believed she had 'special abilities'. There were rumors flying around that if you had detention with her she would mess with your mind, and you'd come out shaking with fear.

"Y-yes," he nodded. He couldn't afford detention, let alone one with the creepiest teacher in school.

Hinata was watching him intently, tapping her pencil's eraser on her desk quietly, her pearl eyes resting on Naruto, who sat in the opposite corner of the room. The rest of the class involved some review of Hitler's conquest for world domination, and a few worksheets, which were to be completed in pairs. This was common occurrence in History, one of the many methods to improve 'team work' among students. Usually it backfired and became a social hour.

The class immediately divided, mostly into groups of three or four as opposed to two, as was customary. The red-eyed teacher had ceased to care in early September, as long as the work was completed.

Hinata didn't have a partner yet. Normally she'd group with two of her long time friends. She'd been trying to get up the courage to work with Naruto all through first semester. Who knows, maybe she'd be able to do it this time, she'd more or less befriended him at this point. If she couldn't, how could she ever sit with him at lunch? She'd certainly take abuse for that, much more then if she completed a few worksheets with him.

'_Naruto doesn't h-have a partner, m-maybe I c-could…_' Hinata took a deep breathe, and a moment to compose herself before she finally worked up the courage to ask him to work with her.

He had already begun on his sheet, not expecting anyone to want to work with him. Sure, he knew Hinata, but he was her waiter of choice at McDonalds, nothing more. Besides, two of her close friends were in their class, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame. They were better choices then he.

"U-um," Hinata gulped, she could feel a blush creeping up her neck and into her face as she stood behind Naruto. She had her pencil clenched so tight in her hands that her knuckles were turning white. He turned his head to look up at her, a hint of curiosity in his bloodshot blue eyes. "W-would you," she swallowed again, hard. The hand that held her pencil had started to shake a bit. "Do y-you, um," Her eyes flickered to the ground and then back to his.

"Hey Hinata, come work with us!" Kiba grabbed her wrist and ushered her over to the three desks he and Shino had put together.

"Ok?" on the inside she was in tears. '_I was s-so close!! K-Kiba! You r-ruin everything!_' She sat down in her seat, resting her head on the desk, sighing heavily. It felt good against her blush stained cheek. She ignored the conversation Kiba was trying to start with her and scribbled down the answers to her fill in the blank.

Naruto turned back around and sighed, he continued to work, barely completing half of the first sheet when the teacher hollered for them to get back in their seats. Great, he'd failed to finish again. It shouldn't have surprised him at all. It didn't. What did surprise him was that Hinata Hyuuga had just tried to partner up with him. Or, so it seemed. His lips twitched upward in a small, momentary, rare, smile.

* * *

"Did, you find her yet?" a husky, monotonous voice questioned. He breathed in deeply the toxic fumes of the cigarette in his mouth, tapping the glowing end in an ash tray. Several smoldering embers fell into the thickly coated bottom of the glass tray, quickly burning out.

"Almost, the little fucker is pretty evasive, it's hard to track a girl with no permanent residence. We've checked every damn box in the lower west side, and she hasn't turned up just yet." An irritated tone laced the voice of the speaker on the other end of the phone line. "Fuck," a curse was heard, following the crash of what sounded like metal.

"Idiot," a slick, oily voice sighed. He could be heard picking up the metal object.

"Get her soon. It's been two god damned years that you've been trying to find her, I'm getting sick of waiting. I want my money, and I am _not_ a patient man." Green, ringed eyes fluoresced in the pitch blackness of the room. He ran his fingers gingerly over the red, cloud shaped piece of metal that hung around his neck.

"We'll get the little bitch as soon as fucking possible. I hate this city, too many fucking idiots for its own fucking good." More metal crashes.

"What if she does not have the money?" the slick voice questioned seriously, a slight grunt accompanying the sound of a closing van door.

"If she can't pay up, do what you like with her. After all, she has two others who may be able to pay off her debt to me." His gaze flickered to a figure that was silently shuffling back and forth behind where he was seated in his wooden chair. "I trust you have kept an eye on them?"

"Yea, I won't let the brats out of my sight."

"Good, after all, I do love children," White teeth with a slight yellow tint could be seen as this man's lips curled into a rancid smile.

* * *

"_One day, when you're rich, and I'm poor, will you give me a job?" Naruto asked. He had busied his hands with Tetsuko's long red locks. She was maybe a year old._

"_What makes you think you'll be poor?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, watching Naruto's skilled hands as he gently brushed the hair of the half-sleeping toddler. "Maybe you'll be rich,"_

"_But today was career day, and you're dad came in and told us all about his awesome job, and he said that his sons will be rich like him when they get big, that means you too," he sighed. "My mom and dad weren't rich, they didn't even want me, they just handed me off. Plus, Aunt Yako says I'll never get rich, cuz' I'll have to take care of Tetsuko,"_

"_She's just stupid. Why should you have to take care of Tetsuko forever anyway? She's her mom, not you." Sasuke crossed his arms. "Sides, you're prolly gonna be richer then me, I don't want to be a business man, I don't think Itachi nii-san does either."_

_Naruto smiled and laughed slightly. "How 'bout if I get rich, I'll give you a job, and if you get rich you give me a job," he suggested. He knotted his eyebrows, his gaze focused on the tangled red in his hands._

"_Sure, it's a deal," Sasuke looked at Tetsuko's hair a little confused as well._

"_I think I'm doing it wrong," Naruto pouted. The hair on the top of her head was a mess of knots. "Can you get your mom to show me how again?" he looked up hopefully. Tetsuko squirmed in his lap, twisting to rest against his chest._

_Sasuke rolled his eyes and jumped down from the short brick wall they were sitting on in the park. "Just make sure you don't forget to give me a job," he gave one of his smiles and rushed to find his mother._

"_I won't!"_

* * *

Sasuke sighed as he remembered the promise he and Naruto had made when they were nine. He was sitting on his favorite branch of the tree, downing a green Monster energy drink. They could rot your teeth in a New York minute, but he had an addiction that he couldn't beat.

As much as it would hurt his pride, that he'd need to ask for a job from the pathetic loser that had once been his friend, he may need to cash in on that deal, as there were no real job openings anywhere else. His dearest father had officially cut him off. He was sixteen now and as a 'proper young man' should get his own job and pay for his own gas. After all, his father had been working since he was fourteen, and never would've gotten where he was now if he hadn't. Bla, bla, bla, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

He'd resented his father more and more after his mother had passed. Now, he was forcing him to get a job, oh, joy. But, he supposed it was his only option if he ever wanted to spend cash again, or be able to fill up the gas tank in his car.

* * *

"You did what?" Sakura asked with a gaping smile as they entered the lunch line.

"I, I tried to t-talk to him," Hinata said, her cheeks flaring with embarrassment. "I-In History, Kiba ruined it though." She looked down in despair.

"Why?" Ino asked, still unable to process that one of her close friends had a crush on the school trash. "He's so…ugh,"

"Come on Ino you can't hate him that much, you do go to McDonalds with us like every day." Tenten pointed out. She grabbed a one of the flimsy foam trays from the pile and made herself a salad of assorted greens and the occasional fruit or vegetable. Something was still missing though, oh, right. Dressing, how could she forget the most important addition the every day salad?

"Only because you guys are going, if it wasn't for that I'd never go at all." She created a very small, limited salad, no dressing. Tenten looked at the dry collection of greens and shook her head. "Their salads are horrible anyway."

"No they aren't, Ino-pig. Besides if you don't like them maybe you should try wolfing down a burger like Hinata." Sakura huffed. She entered her pin number in the keypad and handed the old cashier her money.

"I d-do not w-wolf them down!" Hinata defended. "I, I just e-eat them q-quickly is a-all." She closed her eyes briefly.

"Whatever." Ino stalked over to their usual lunch table and pushed her pink bag onto the floor. "I still stand by my decision that he's gross. How can you even stand to talk to him Hinata?"

"What did you actually say to him anyway?" Tenten asked, raising an eyebrow. She and Sakura both looked at the Hyuuga expectantly.

"Well, I m-mostly j-just s-stuttered a-a lot s-so n-not m-much…" she sighed.

"You need to be less nervous around him, If you stutter too much, Then he might think you're weird." said Sakura. He wasn't her favorite person, and agreed that Hinata could do better, but Hinata liked him, that was all that mattered to her.

"I still can't believe you talked to him, I mean next you'll be sitting with him at lunch, and then, well, you'll sink to the bottom of the social food-chain, and I won't be able to talk to you anymore." Ino shook her head. "If only you liked someone more popular, like oh, Sasuke, or maybe Shikamaru, he's so cute," she giggled, her blue eyes glistening.

"Oh please he's such a lazy ass." Tenten rolled her eyes. "Besides I'm pretty sure he's with Temari."

"Y-you know what I-Ino, m-maybe I w-will sit with h-him." Hinata crossed her arms.

"H-Hinata! You can't do that! Everyone's going to eat you alive! It'll be a catastrophe!" Ino warned.

"Leave her alone." Sakura nudged Ino with her elbow while picking up a peace of lettuce to shove into her mouth.

"I'm just warning her," Ino resolved, sticking her nose in the air.

"You are so shallow," Tenten shook her head again.

"Uh! Am not! How could you say that?" Ino looked absolutely bewildered that Tenten would say such a thing about her. She did not find herself the least bit shallow.

"Because," Tenten started, looking over at the blonde, "It's true," she stated bluntly.

'_I, I will sit with him I said this morning that I would,_'Hinata thought, ignoring the argument her friends were having. '_I,_' she clutched her tray, rising slightly from her chair. Tenten and Ino stopped bickering and looked at her alongside Sakura in amazement. '_I'll do it! I, I……_' she slammed her tray back down, pushed it away and rested her face in her arms as she folded them on the table. "I c-can't do it! I-I'll faint!" she groaned, beating her feet on the ground repeatedly for a moment.

"It's ok!" Sakura put a hand on her friends shoulder. "You're just nervous, you'll get it eventually!" she comforted, glaring over at Tenten and Ino, who were about to start up again. Don't you dare say anything! Was what she was screaming through her emerald eyes.

* * *

"_I hate school food, it's so gross," Naruto glared, disgusted, at the lasagna on his lunch tray. "It's so greasy and, and, ugh it's just nasty."_

"_Oh get over it." Sasuke rolled his eyes. He didn't like it much either. "You can make up for it when you come to my house for dinner tonight. I think my mom's making chicken soup,"_

"_Mm, yea, you're mom's a good cook," he laughed. "So, is she making me a cake this year?" The past several years, every time Naruto had his birthday, he'd always had no one to celebrate with, save for Sasuke. So, the lady Uchiha always made him a double chocolate cake. "Ten candles this year!"_

"_Probably, sheesh dobe," Sasuke shook his head. "I could swear that you lived more at my house then your own." He followed the blond boy as they walked to locate a table._

"_I'd rather live at your house, so would Tetsuko I'm sure," he smiled._

"_Well happy birthday anyway," Sasuke smiled for a brief moment. Just then Kiba walked past Naruto, pushing the Uzumaki's food tray into his face and chest and knocking him over._

_Laughs floated around the cafeteria as the tray slopped off Naruto's shirt. Naruto said nothing, simply wiped sauce from his face._

"_Hey!" Sasuke growled. He slammed his tray down on the closest table and grabbed the shorter boy by the collar of his shirt. "What the heck was that for!?" He questioned angrily._

"_Heh, just having some fun Uchiha," Kiba smirked, unperturbed. Sasuke pulled back a fist and punched him in the gut. Kiba yelped, and clutched his abdominals as Sasuke dropped him._

"_Have fun somewhere else." He watched as Kiba rushed away. Naruto was on the ground, trying to rid himself of the lunch special that was all over him. The other kids in the cafeteria continued to laugh at the forth grader. "What are you all looking at?" Sasuke stared at them and they cleared their throats, looking away. He kneeled down next to his friend, handing him the pile of napkins from his tray. "You ok?"_

"_Yea, I'm fine," he sat up, removing noodle and sauce from his face. "This was my favorite shirt to!" he complained, gesturing to the ruined fox T-shirt._

"_Come on," Sasuke pulled him up and led him to the bathroom. "Here," he removed his black button down shirt, leaving himself in a navy T-shirt. "You can't walk around smellin' like tomatoes all day,"_

"_Thanks," he trashed his own shirt and replaced it with Sasuke's after washing the food from himself. "What did I ever do to him anyway?" he wondered aloud._

"_Prolly nothin', he's just a jerk." Sasuke resolved. "Come on, I still want to eat,"_

* * *

_Naruto sighed; dizzily walking across the Middle school cafeteria with a tray of…well he wasn't sure what was on the tray. It was his fifteenth birthday, and he would celebrate by going to work at McDonalds. He was nearly to his table when, slam. His lunch was all over the front of him. Sasuke stood beside him as he lay on the ground. He looked up, confused._

"_Happy Birthday," Sasuke smirked, and walked away, leaving Naruto on the ground, hurt and humiliated._

_The laughing had ensued. He stood up slowly, turning to look at Sasuke, who was standing with his snickering friends. He shook his head a little disbelieving. He left his tray there on the floor of the High School cafeteria and as stably as he could, escaped the cafeteria. Hot tears burned his eyes, but he would not cry._

"_What did I ever do to you?" he asked no one, as he stood over a bathroom sink. "What, huh?"_

* * *

**Authors Note:**** Well, we finally visit the bad guys of this story. Some other stuff happened, Tetsuko made the team! Woot! By the way has anyone figured out why her name is so horrible? Tee-hee. I hope you liked it!**

**REVIEW!**

**-Wicka**

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	4. Chapter 3

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Author's Note:

Check it out! New chapter! Just like I promised in Savior. Now, I know it's not the best, but bare with me. I hate to say his, because it's not a definite, and it never is, but I have a feeling this is going to come a lot faster then it has been from now on,  
*knock on wood*. Well, Enjoy.

_Yako sneezed, the rainstorm above her had been continuing for almost two weeks. There had been a number of small floods along the Hudson River, limiting the number of people who would come to her part of town looking for a good time. Needless to say, business had been slow for her._

_She'd never thought about how much competition there would be in the Big Apple. There were hundreds if not thousands of hookers and prostitutes on every street she'd tried. After a few months of lying low in the city, she'd found herself a permanent street to work on. However, with a permanent place of employment, there was no permanent place of living. She'd usually stay with a client in a motel at night, or just find a comfortable place in a back alley._

_There was a young Hispanic woman by the name of Mimi that she'd befriended in her time in New York. Mimi was only nineteen, as opposed to her thirty-two. But, the two working girls were a decent team. Mimi kept the other women in check while Yako pulled over as many men as she could. Mimi was a firecracker. Yako on the other hand was more like a ticking time bomb. Mimi bitched out the other women so that Yako wouldn't have to add murder to her list of felonies._

"_Hey Yako," the Brooklyn born woman who spoke caught up to her quickly. "Have you been tested this month?" she asked. "The free clinic is open later today."_

"_Nah, I'd rather find out if I have HIV or AIDS when one of my clients dies from it." She stated. "Damn, it's fricken cold tonight." She squinted as she looked to the dark grey sky._

"_What do you expect? I heard from Starlet that it's not supposed to clear up for another few days. The backlash of a hurricane or sumthin'," she informed. Starlet was a retired hooker who had saved up enough money in her twenty or so years to by a four-room apartment. She gave a home to some of the girls who weren't able to tough out storms or cold. Mimi would stop in once in a while to check out the weather forecast. "So, have you heard anything 'bout, you know, those kids you used to take care of?" she asked._

"_Nah, I think the older one's probably to angry at me to try lookin', and the girl is too young." She answered bluntly. "Why? Kids just suck up the money you make anyway, with food and clothes and other crap." She pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit up._

"_Just curious, I haven't seen my baby sister in a while," Mimi stated. She'd been in the business for only three years, after she dropped out of High School._

"_That's because your mom knows you're a whore babe," she stated simply, rolling her eyes. "If you keep worryin' about them you might not be cut out for this line of work,"_

"_Nah, I am, you've seen me in action." She replied, stealing one of Yako's cigarettes. "I've got the skills. But just 'cause I send half my money to them don't mean I can't handle it. I actually worry 'bout my family." She said, a hint of pride in her voice_

"_Yea, sure." She snorted at the naive attitude of the younger girl._

"_Haven't you ever worried 'bout your family? Don't you have a sista' or sumthin'?" she asked. She took the drag of the cigarette, feeling the tobacco calm her down._

"_I did, but my perfect older sister graduated High School with straight A's and got married to some Military general, which my parents just loved, and she became some sorta doctor and had a kid. Course, they were both shot, so I got stuck with the little bastard because dear old Mom and Dad died from grief. It killed them when she died but they didn't blink twice when I dropped out at fifteen," she explained, distain dripping from her words. "Bitch got what she deserved."_

"_Wasn't it your fault they got shot or sumthin' like that?" she asked, an over-plucked eyebrow raised._

_Yako smirked. "Probably, but it's not as though I put a hit out on my sister," she stated innocently dropping her cigarette on the street and smothering it with her stiletto heel._

* * *

"Here's your order, Miss," Tetsuko gently set down a tray of food for an unenthusiastic teenage girl and her mother. The woman just screamed 'I read parenting books and try to relate to my teenage kids!' They thanked her and she went to cover the next table, being thankful that at least her mother wasn't like that.

She was currently covering Haamonii's section, as the blonde had been forced to leave for Harvard Medical earlier then she expected, or she might loose her scholarship. Kyto had been freaking out when he'd been forced to waiter her tables. He hadn't had face time with customers in a good year, and he liked it that way. He wasn't exactly good at social interaction, and in his time of avoiding it, he had become worse.

So, while Mirii had been yelling at him to calm down in the back room, Tetsuko had taken his order pad and pen as well as a sticker that says 'My name is______' and taken over the section herself. She'd already finished her homework during class that day and figured, hey, why not? No one had noticed until after she'd delivered to at least two tables. By the time she picked up her third order, she'd been awarded the job. Naruto didn't quite like the idea but Kyto needed the help and Tetsuko was much more of a people person then Kyto ever was. So, he agreed.

"Hey, Tetsuko, can you keep an eye out for my orders? I'm going on break," Mirii asked. She'd been good friends with Haamonii and the blonde had always covered for her during breaks, while she covered for Naruto and so on. But, Tetsuko was the temporary replacement, so she took on the responsibility.

"Yea, sure Mirii," she nodded and went to grab Mirii's order pad.

"Hey kid," she started, sitting in the booth where Tetsuko's bag had taken up residence.

"Yea?" Tetsuko asked, looking up at her questioningly.

"Even if you are good at this, _never_ become a waitress, you can do much better," Mirii stated firmly. The eight-year old laughed, as much as she loved him, she would never follow in Naruto's footsteps career wise unless she absolutely had to.

"I won't, I wanna do something else when I grow up." She responded, before she skipped off to pick up and order from the cashiers counter.

"Did you just dump your section off on my eight-year-old cousin?" Naruto asked.

"Yea, she can handle it better then you can so why not?" Mirii shrugged. "Now get Rika to make me an Oreo cyclone would you?" she waved him off, crossing her legs.

He huffed and went to the front counter. "Rika, Oreo cyclone for Mirii," he said, not giving her a chance to answer him as he walked to the end of the counter to grab a Big Mac and a large water with salt packets next to it. This was so the customer could make himself a salt-water. The man to whom it belonged was quickly becoming one of their best customers, but definitely not a favorite. "Here sir," he said, not making eye contact with him.

The shark-man growled. "Took you…long enough," he glared; taking a vicious bite from the burger with what might as well have been fangs. Naruto gulped and walked off quickly to join his cousin, checking up on her as he had been doing periodically since she'd decided to play waitress.

"Nii-chan," Tetsuko whispered as he came towards her. She looked a bit shaken. "Who is that guy?"

"I have, no idea," he answered truthfully, stifling a yawn. He didn't catch the concern in her voice.

"I think he's been watching me, you too, he's kind of creepy," she said, he caught the concern in her voice this time. Naruto stole a glance at the man, he was looking at them right then, and though he most likely saw them staring back, he did not avert his gaze, which of course made him all the more unnerving.

"Well, we can't really do anything because he's a customer," Naruto informed, knotting his eyebrows in frustration. He was not fond of the man at all. "Just, stay away from him, and if he comes anywhere near you, I want you to make sure you are where someone can see you ok?" he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ok," she nodded, a determined look in her eye. "Now I have to get back to work nii-chan." She left him. He rolled his eyes. For a kid she had one hell of a work ethic. Had he not had such a strong motive he would have been the lazy employee that she would need to whip into shape.

"Here's your salads and burger," Naruto handed the meals to his ever-present customers with a smile.

"Thanks," Ino acknowledged him rather unwillingly. She still didn't much care for him. The other three girls nodded.

"Oh, hey, Naruto," Tenten stopped him before he walked away, her hand out as if she were reaching for him.

"Yea, what's up?" he asked, turning his head. "Did you want something else?" he lifted his pen and order pad.

"Oh, no, I was wondering if you remembered when we have that English test," she asked. "I can't remember for the life of me," she said sheepishly.

"Mine's next week on Thursday I think, so yours would probably be Friday," They both had the same teacher, but on different days.

"Oh, thanks." She nodded, scribbling it down on her planner.

* * *

Later that night, the Uzumaki duo did there usual walk home through the dangerous streets. Tetsuko was asleep on his back. Only this time, when a hooker walked up to him, he stopped, and turned to her.

"Hey honey, you finally decide you want to become a man?" the woman who always identified herself as 'the one with no gag reflex' asked him. She placed her hands on her hips. Her leather mini skirt was hanging dangerously low. She'd been asking him this question for a couple of years. She'd been on the street since he was twelve, and he had gotten to know her a bit. In a way he was flattered that she was so persistent with him, but also a bit creeped out.

"No, Megan," he replied tiredly, "When are you going to give that up? I've been turning you down for a long time and I'm going to keep doing it. I've got too many things to worry about to screw my life up anymore."

She smiled. "You're just so damn cute," she joked. She didn't take offense to his comment. She was used to the idea of screwing up people's lives. "You break my heart every time you say no, kid, though I gotta say, you're a lot more pleasant then the old hag you used to live with." She said, rolling her eyes.

"Yea," he sighed. "I've got to go, good luck tonight, don't get your self hurt." He kept walking. Though he was usually much too tired, he would stop and talk to her once in a while. Honestly he found the whole thing sad. It was painful to know that people hated themselves so much, or hated their lives that they would find excitement and happiness in selling themselves on the street. He wondered briefly how bad things had been for Megan, or even for Yako, that they'd lowered and debased themselves like they did. He'd probably, hopefully, never know what it felt like to be so desperate.

When he made it to the front door of his apartment, he found a note taped to the door. He grabbed it and went inside, dropping his bag, and bringing the little girl to her room. After he'd tucked Tetsuko into bed, he sat on the floor of their empty living room, lighting his two Yankee candles. He was nervous to read the note on his door, but he knew he'd better not put it off. Notes he found taped up anywhere in his life always meant something terrible had, or was going to happen. He hated it, the whole combination of tape and paper, and for this reason cringed every time he saw a sticky-note.

He slowly, nervously, unwrinkled the note with shaky hands. He squinted his blood-shot eyes to better make out the messy handwriting.

_Uzumaki,_

_Though I sympathize with you, you've been falling behind on your rent more and more in the last year._

_I understand the position you're in, but I've already been good to you. Despite the fact that I should, by law, call Social Services, I haven't, and I won't. _

_But, unless you can pay me very soon, I'm afraid things will get a whole lot worse for you, and you'll have to add 'homeless' to your list of problems._

_-Your Land Lord_

"No," he dropped the note, and it barely missed catching on the flame of one of the candles. "Oh my god," he felt like he was going to be sick as his stomach knotted up. But, he'd gotten this far. He could get enough money in time right? He should be able to scrape together a few thousand dollars in a couple of week's time, right? He could manage. "Oh my, god…" he found himself so over come with worry it made him dizzy. He rushed to the bathroom down the hall and leaned over the toilet. He started coughing until he threw up. He wiped his mouth and retreated into the corner, where he hugged his knees to his chest, and tried desperately to calm himself down.

* * *

'_C-come on Hinata, you're a H-Hyuuga, your f-father is one of t-the toughest l-lawyers in the s-state, you can handle o-one lunch without f-fainting!_' She refused to sit down in her usual chair as she stood next to it with her lunch tray grasped so tightly her knuckles were turning white. Sakura, Tenten and Ino were all eating as they stared at her. "I can't do it!" Hinata said shamefully, looking down at the burger on her tray.

"Hinata!" Sakura folded her arms across her chest in an irritated fashion. "You've been doing this for ten minutes now," she shook her head. "If you don't go sit with him now, I swear I'm going to do it for you!"

"Sakura, no! I can't let my best friend commit social suicide! I won't allow it!" Ino protested. She began to tear up. "I can't lose two of you to that, that…"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "She's not listening to you, and wipe away those fake tears already." She pointed to Sakura with her index finger as she shoved a bite of food into her mouth with her other hand, who was walking over to the empty table where Naruto sat.

"S-Sakura! Wait!" Hinata followed, nervous as a teenage girl could be.

"Sakura!" Ino growled.

Sakura reached Naruto's table to find him attempting to do his math homework, no food within sight. She slammed her tray on the table. It seemed to echo throughout the cafeteria as a great deal of the student body turned to stare. "I'm sitting with you while I eat my lunch, ok?" she said firmly as she planted herself in her seat. Hinata quickly followed.

"Um, m-me to…" Hinata sat down and started to eat.

"Um, ok?" he answered, completely bewildered.

"You hear that cafeteria goers? Sakura Haruno and Hinata Hyuuga are sitting with Naruto Uzumaki, and we don't care! So stop staring and get back to your gossip already!" she shouted, her eyes never leaving her food. She shoved a fork full of lettuce into her mouth.

Though the company of the two girls pleasantly surprised Naruto, he could have done without Sakura's speech, as it made him out to be even more screwed up and, well, helpless then they already thought he was.

* * *

Neji was NOT happy, Hinata, his little cousin, was sitting with Naruto, the school's scum. She was NOT supposed to sit with him. That wasn't allowed, not at all. He was very tempted to just drop his lunch tray, march over there, and drag her away. But she'd never forgive him for it, and he'd regret it.

Why couldn't she like someone normal? Someone who he didn't hate? She was the one making it hard. "I don't believe this…" Neji started. Hinata had gone against his advice. That NEVER happened. "She's sitting with him,"

"I know! Why would she sit with that drug-addict when she could very easily sit next to me instead?!" Kiba was just as annoyed as Neji, but for an entirely different reason.

Neji lifted his hand to land a hit on Kiba that very well may have caused him brain damage had Temari not cut in.

"Kiba Inuzuka if you don't stop talking I will throw you into the snake pit!" she said, resting her forehead on her laced fingers. Kiba stopped for a moment and Neji decided against causing him permanent damage. By the snake pit, Temari meant the middle of the cafeteria where the ditsy fan girls that they all resented would immediately swarm him.

Shino and Shikamaru hadn't said anything, both finding the conversation troublesome.

Sasuke on the other hand, was having a mental battle. '_To ask for a job, or not have any money and be stuck home with my father unless someone offers me a ride, that is the question._' He raised an eyebrow. He needed to stop quoting Shakespearean plays. His English teacher really was drilling the crap into their heads. '_I need to ask for a job, no matter how stupid it feels. I can't rely on other people for my money…Hell even Itachi has a job, even if it is incredibly shady, it pays the bills for him, maybe I should…nah, it's probably illegal anyway…damn it_' He felt a strong urge to slam his head into the table, this however had too many drawbacks, and would not make him any richer. He sighed, and instead chugged half of his Monster.

* * *

He'd enjoyed lunch that day. He'd sat at a table with someone other then himself. Sakura, Hinata at her side, had pioneered her way across the cafeteria and plopped herself down in a chair across from him, determined to stay there, despite the looks they were getting. Ino and Tenten had stayed at their usual table. They had no desire to go so far as to sit with him at lunch.

It helped him keep his mind off of his current predicament better then his homework could.

"Do you want half of my sandwich?" Hinata forced out the question, using everything she had in her will power not to stutter. She would NOT be nervous around him. She _refused_ to let herself stutter just then. Blushing was another matter.

"You're face is red, do you have a fever?" Naruto asked, his voice taking on a motherly tone that he was so accustomed to. He lifted his hand to touch her forehead, and she shook her head violently.

Sakura couldn't help but smile at the exchange.

"N-" she caught herself. "No, I'm fine, do you want some?" she asked slowly, holding up a turkey sandwich on wheat bread, with lettuce and tomato. She placed her other hand on her elbow, to keep herself from shaking. '_I'm going to have a s-seizure at this rate!_' she gulped.

"Um, yea, I guess," he gratefully took the food offered to him, and ate it slowly, savoring the taste as he struggled to complete his math assignment from second block, the class just before lunch.

"Do you want some help with that?" she asked timidly, seeing the frustrated look on his face. Math wasn't her best subject, but she was passing with a B nonetheless.

"That'd be nice, I'm such an idiot, Tetsuko understands this better then I do, and she's only in fourth grade." He sighed, dropping his pencil and leaning back in his chair.

She picked up her chair and moved herself next to him. "No you're not!" she disagreed, looking over his shoulder. "This is really easy, once you understand it,"

"Thanks," he softened his gaze. Inside his head, he was far to worried about his frequent customer, and his homeless status to really apply himself.

Sakura wondered if she'd ever been so proud of one of her friends. Hinata was talking to him, without even stuttering. It was amazing. She couldn't even stop stuttering when she was talking to her closest friends. She smiled. Good for her. Now if she could only muster up that kind of courage for herself. She stole a glance at the Uchiha sitting a good eleven tables away.

"Do you understand?" Hinata asked. Naruto looked down at the example that she'd drawn up for him. He squinted, raising an eyebrow. She got the message. "I'll show you again," she said, giving a patient smile.

* * *

"_Hey, Naruto," Sasuke greeted his friend, who after quickly traveling back home to pick up his and Tetsuko's clothes for an overnight stay, had come to the Uchiha's house. "Did you get your report card in class today?"_

_Naruto sighed, and, Tetsuko holding his hand the whole way, they made their way upstairs to Sasuke's bedroom. He dropped his bag and pulled out a large yellow envelope. "Yea," he handed it shamefully to Sasuke._

_The raven-haired boy opened it up to find that Naruto was barely passing half of his classes. "What happened? I got all A's," he asked, bewildered._

"_I just have a lot of stuff to worry about, and I failed almost all my midterms." He said. Sasuke set down the transcript and looked at him, a bit concerned._

"_You mean work?" he asked. Naruto nodded. Tetsuko was rummaging through her own bag to show off her report card as well._

"_That and, well you know." He unconsciously placed a hand on his chest. He sighed again, looking at his friend with tired eyes._

"_Why do you do that? You don't need a job anyway, your Aunt makes plenty of cash in her…line of employment," Sasuke glared, choosing his words carefully so as not to insult the prostitute in front of her young daughter. "You don't need to work so much you know, you're only going to make yourself sicker," he scolded. "You can't get sicker!"_

"_You don't know the half of it." Naruto responded, yawning. It was a Friday, the last one he would ever take off from work. "Things aren't exactly working out the way they should." He paused. "You don't even understand the situation I'm in right now,"_

"_Well that's because-" Sasuke was cut off when the first grader shoved her report card envelope into his hands._

"_Look how good I did! My teacher said I have the best grades in the class!" she smiled, rocking back and fourth in her place on his carpeted floor._

"_Wow, you have perfect scores in every subject," he said, rather impressed. Tetsuko had always been a smart kid. "Same as last quarter," He flipped a page in the packet to see the teacher's comments._

"_And my teacher wrote that I have the potential to skip second grade if my scores stay this way! Wouldn't that be cool? I could be in _third_ grade next year!" she giggled in excitement. Naruto smiled at her, laughing at her enthusiasm. He'd never understand her love of learning._

"_You _definitely_ did better then Naruto here," he cast the blond a glare, unable to continue his argument due to his conversation with the first grader. What he wanted to do was hold him down and punch him in the face until he told him what the hell was going on that he was being so secretive about._

_The young Uzumaki closed his eyes and leaned back against Sasuke's bed. Naruto had the ability to get A's, but he just couldn't bring himself to focus on schoolwork with all the responsibilities he now had weighing down on him._

* * *

"That was great," a middle aged man smiled, looking up at the woman straddling him in the back seat of his car. She smirked, bending over to lick his cheek.

"I'm just getting started baby," she got onto her hands and knees and crawled backwards. She leaned forward, preparing to give him a 'special treat'.

"Oh yea," he clutched the headrest on the front seat. He heard a gasp and looked at the horrified face on the woman. "Come on sweetheart, why'd you stop? I only have an hour before I'm supposed to go home to the wife,"

The reason she'd stopped was that something caught her eye in the rear view mirror on the driver's side. There was another woman, lying just on the edge of the vacant parking lot. "Oh my god," she quickly threw on her leather shorts and a skimpy red top, and climbing out of the car she rushed to the body.

"What's the problem, if you're not gonna finish the job I'm not gonna pay…" He stopped when he sat up and looked out the back windshield. He saw her leaning over the body of a naked woman. Her head of curly black hair was resting in a pool of what looked like dried blood. He threw on his pants, still buttoning them when he ran over to join her. He knelt next to her.

"Y-you're a doctor right?" the leather clad girl asked him, holding the woman in her arms. "Aren't you? Help her damn it!" she hollered.

The dead girl looked like she was no more then twenty, a Latina girl. She was completely pale and there was a hole from what was most likely a gunshot just below her right eye. Though he knew she was dead, he grabbed her wrist and checked for a pulse, before taking his cell phone from his pocket. He dialed 911, and looked at his watch. "Time of death, ten forty-five P.M." he pronounced. "Hi, I'm Dr. James Carter. I'd like to report a murder, there's a body of a woman. I'm in a parking lot along the Hudson in the lower west side…yes thank you."

"Oh god, I know her," the woman put a hand to her mouth.

"Put her down, this is a crime scene," James ordered. She did as she was told. "Damn it, I have to get dressed," he rushed back to his car and slipped on his button down shirt, and brought a full-length jacket for his 'companion'. "Liza, put this on now, and don't tell them why I'm here. If you do the wife'll kill me,"

"Uh-huh," to shocked to argue, Liza slipped on the jacket and buttoned it over her clothing. She didn't move from her spot. "Oh god, honey, what happened to ya,"

In less then ten minutes, a large group of police appeared at the scene, a pair of homicide detectives in suits along side them. It was dusk.

"What were you doing down here," a homicide detective by the name of Rena Carter asked her husband.

"Nothing, honey, I just came to watch the sunset with a friend is all," he lied. She raised an eyebrow. She wasn't quite buying it.

"Do you know who she is?" Detective Carter's partner asked the shaken Liza.

"She's got a family, in Brooklyn, a baby sister, you have to tell her mom and her baby sister," Liza never took her eyes off of the body.

"You didn't answer my question, who is she?" he asked again.

"I don't know her last name, she's, her name's Mimi,"

* * *

After Gym ended that day, Naruto rushed himself quickly to his job. Water was still dripping from his freshly washed hair.

"Hey Naruto-" Kyto was cut off when the blond rushed passed him and into the back room where he rapidly changed and got to work, taking orders. "What's up with him," he watched as he rushed from table to table, taking orders before he clipped them up behind the counter.

"Hey, Uzumaki," a woman stopped him. "What are you doing here so fast? I only just got off and you're here already?" she was a housewife who'd gotten board of sitting home all day and decided to get a waitressing job to keep her busy while her kids ere in school.

"No time to talk Michiru, I have to work," he walked away from her. She shrugged and went to the back room to grab her things and leave to pick up her kids from school.

* * *

Sasuke didn't think he'd ever seen Naruto run so fast. During laps, he was slow like usual. But when the bell rang, he shoved everyone out of the way, and left the school as speedily as possible.

It was odd. He couldn't help but wonder what had him in such a rush. Only curiosity was nagging at him. He didn't care. But what ever it was, it must have been pretty serious. He ignored the hoard of girls trying to court him as he left the school, on foot. He would conserve the gas in his car as long as he could. He was going to ask for a job. His mind was made up.

He refused to second-guess himself as he walked down the street. When you need money, you need money.

It had been awkward at first. He went in, sat down, and waited for Naruto to begrudgingly make his way over and ask for his order.

"I want a job." He stated quickly. He glared up at the blond from his seat.

"W-what? Why?" What would he need a job for? He was filthy rich, wasn't he? Of course he was. He didn't need money. Plus, if he did, why couldn't he go somewhere _else_ to find it? Sasuke sighed.

"My father cut me off. I need a job, I saw the sign." He gestured to the help wanted sign in the window, before returning his annoyed gaze to the Uzumaki.

"Well, go somewhere else why don't you, you hate me remember?" his arms rested at his sides, and he made his face as blank as possible. "Do you want something else? Like food?" he asked bitterly.

Sasuke shook his head, glaring still as the blue-eyed boy turned his back on the Uchiha. "You have to get me a job." He concluded.

"Why should I?" Naruto asked quietly, irritability lacing his voice.

"We made a deal. It's time you hold up your end."

They had made a deal hadn't they, that if one of them ever needed a job, the other would help them out. Should he hold it up? Should he keep that promise? Sasuke had hardly been helpful to him in recent years. Did he even deserve the assistance of the blond? Naruto clenched his fist lightly at his side. He had to.

Whether or not Sasuke was n ice to him, whether or not they were still friends, he wasn't going to be so bitter that he'd refuse to help him out. For all he knew, Sasuke would return the favor one day.

"Fine." He walked away, after his short reply.

Sasuke almost felt guilty. Almost. He'd been nothing but an asshole, and Naruto was still going to uphold a promise he'd made when he was nine years old. He almost felt like a terrible person. Almost. But the feeling didn't last. Not like it used to.

* * *

_"Hey Teme! What's up?" Naruto bounded over, grinning widely at the other ten year old. Sasuke looked up, before returning his gaze to the desk at which he sat._

"_Hey." His voice was empty, and Naruto was taken aback._

"_Oi, are you ok?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at the raven-haired boy._

"_Fine." His reply came to quick for it to be believable. Why was Naruto talking to him? After the things Sasuke had said to him the day before, he would've thought the blond would be angry as hell with him._

"_What, don't tell me you feel bad for insulting me, that's just weird, Teme." He crossed his arms_

_"No, I don't. I'm fine." He answered coldly._

_"No you're not, you're such a liar, Teme, sheesh." He sat in the desk beside him, concern showing on his face. Sasuke seemed, sad. He continued to stare at the young Uchiha, who kept his gaze focused on his desk, unblinking. "You're eyes'll dry up you know. You gotta blink sometime,"_

_"Go away, Naruto." He ordered. He sighed when the blond didn't move._

_"What's wrong, really," the concern in Naruto's voice was evident as he spoke, and Sasuke looked up at him angrily, his eyes were blood-shot. Naruto blinked._

_"My-!" he started, his voice louder then intended. He exhaled. "My mom, she…died last night…" he stated sadly, clutching the sides of his seat. Naruto was silent._

_Mikoto Uchiha had always been so nice to him, treated her just like he was one of her boys. But…could she really be dead? He felt his stomach knot up. "But you said that she'd be fine, you said that the doctors said she'd be fine,"_

_"The doctors were wrong." He stated bitterly. Naruto swallowed, hard._

_"What happened?" he asked timidly._

_"Nii-san said her heart stopped, like a clock when it runs out of batteries, it stopped ticking, and then she died." Itachi had always had a way of explaining things to him so he would understand. But, even with the simple words Itachi had put it into, Sasuke still couldn't wrap his head around it. How could someone's heart stop? People don't run on batteries, right? So what had stopped working that made her…die? He'd said it was her time. But, what did that even mean? Who decided it was her time?_

_"I'm sorry…" Naruto said awkwardly._

_Sasuke gritted his teeth. He had already been miserable when he went to school that day, but now he felt guilty, too. He'd told Naruto the day before that he was stupid, and annoying and that he hated him. But the blond was still there saying he was sorry the next day, as if it'd never happened. Sasuke wouldn't be able to do that._

_"Um…when's her funeral, can I go?" he wanted to pay his respects to the lady Uchiha._

_"It's next week, on Friday…" Sasuke supplied, his jaw tight and his stomach in knots. "You can come, I don't care."_

_"Ok." Naruto nodded, shoving the Uchiha playfully. "Don't be all sad all day, you're gonna make me sad too!" he gave a reassuring grin._

_Sasuke scoffed._

**Author's Note: Alright, so, there's the latest chapter! I know it's all a bit slow right now, but the plot should speed up a bit in the next chapter.**

**I have to say it depressed me a bit to write that part about Naruto being evicted, basically. And yes, I know, child labor laws wouldn't permit half of the things in this story thus far, but, people are ignorant sometimes. And in this version of Konoha, they are _very_ ignorant.**

**So, I hope you liked it!**

**-Wicka**

* * *


	5. Chapter 4

It seemed like a dream. A really bad one, when he'd first read the note that was taped to his door. He'd been so scared he'd thrown up. He was scared the next day, and all through the week as he'd worked as well as possible, trying to get the highest tips possible, trying to maybe somehow earn enough money. He paid even less attention in class, was even more distant, talked less. The only change that really bothered anyone, was that he was so worried, he was almost constantly shaking. Like he had a cold, he would shiver constantly. He suppressed it enough that only his hand showed the tremors wracking his body, but at home, it seemed to Tetsuko he was having a constant seizure. But in the end, the mere four hundred dollars he presented to his landlord wasn't enough, and he'd become homeless.

A second note on his door had delivered that last blow.

_Uzumaki,_

_It's been a week. The money you've given me isn't enough. I've changed the lock on this door, and I'm keeping what's inside, I'll sell it to pay off your debt. Come to me when you find this, I'll let you in long enough to pack your clothes. But that is all you will take. Try to fight me on it, and I'll call Social Services, and you'll lose everything._

_-Your Landlord_

It was unfair, cruel, that the old man had manipulated the situation to reap his own benefits. It made Naruto's blood boil. He was fighting tears, as he went inside and packed as much of Tetsuko's clothing as he possibly could in the duffle bag that had sufficed as the place for his own clothing. The old man watched him the entire time, and Tetsuko lie asleep on her bed, the last chance she would ever get to sleep there.

A choked sob escaped him, as he looked at the little girl, who was blissfully unaware of the severity of their situation, as she always was. She didn't deserve this. She deserved to live in a nice house, to keep her bed and her butterfly sheets. She deserved a mother and a father who loved her, who could take care of her. She deserved better then what he could give her. Why was she stuck in this situation? What did she ever do to deserve this?

"Hurry up, Uzumaki, I'd like to get back to bed sometime soon." The old landlord growled from the doorway, where he stood in his robe and slippers.

"I'm working on it," he bit out, his voice hoarse. In a few minutes time, he'd packed the duffle bag as full as he could, taking as much as he could possibly carry. He had a strong desire to shove them old man out the front door and lock the door, creating a fortress for him and Tetsuko that they would never have to leave. They would be able to stay together, not worry about anything.

Unfortunately, as he coaxed the little girl to climb on his back, he knew this was impossible. There was no such life. They would run out of food, run out of water, and they would die if he locked them in.

He winced when the door slammed, and they key turned in the lock, sealing him out of what used to be his home. He wouldn't be going back. He would miss it, but there was nothing he could do. At the same time, as he released another frustrated sob, he was glad to be free of that place. Of all the more vivid memories of Yako.

It was chilly that night, his body was kept warm only by the blood and frightened rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. Where would he go? He had his school bag around his neck, Tetsuko had hers, but she was also getting a piggyback ride from him. The duffle bag that held all of their clothes and worldly possessions was hooked on his left arm. Naruto was tired. He didn't have time to think, but he knew he had to.

Tired and scared and stuck in a situation he didn't know if he could get out of. But, he was also determined. Tetsuko's well-being was riding on him as well, quite literally. He had to stop pitying himself. He needed to come up with a plan.

His feet padded on the concrete sidewalks, as he passed dealers and hookers and other people he wasn't too sure about. It was around one in the morning, and it was Thursday. They had school and he had work, he wouldn't be able to hunt down a new address until Sunday, and so he needed to go somewhere until then. A homeless shelter was out of the question. He didn't trust those people, and he knew there was a distinct possibility Social Services would be called. Foster homes wouldn't work either. But, he didn't have any friends to take them in, and there was no way he'd impose on one of Tetsuko's. The parents would no doubt cause them a lot of trouble, if they were responsible anyway. Kyto wouldn't have room, and he didn't really want his boss to know anything more then he already did concerning his personal life. The only person he could think of…was probably going to turn them away. But, there was always the possibility that this person would help. There was only one way to find out, and, it was a chance he was willing to take.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked, looking Naruto over, seeing the bags in his hand and around his neck, along with the little girl on his back.

"I was evicted, I need a place to stay for a few days," he explained, shifting the little girl on his back and stifling a yawn

"Why? Just go home, if Yako kicked you out sneak back in." he could see the dullness in Naruto's blue eyes, as well as there red rims. He hadn't seen him look so tired in a long time.

"She didn't kick us out."

"Then what are you doing?"

"I need a place to stay. Please, I'll be out of here by Sunday night but I'm begging you, I need a place to stay," he sounded desperate. It showed in the way his face twisted in an attempt to keep his eyes from watering in frustration.

Sasuke cast a glance at the sleeping Tetsuko. "Fine." He opened the door, allowing them to enter. "My father is out of town but he's called Itachi to 'baby-sit' me," there was an eye-roll at this, "You can just stay in my room if you want."

"Thank you," he was sincere.

"Whatever." He led them upstairs, pulling a mattress out from under his bed as he'd done many times for the pair. Naruto settled Tetsuko on it, before standing and facing the Uchiha.

"Can I, uh, have a glass of water?" His throat was raw, and it was beginning to burn. With a sigh, Sasuke nodded, he wasn't exactly eager to play host to his house-guest.

They walked back down the stairs, and out of an old habit, Naruto went to one of the cabinets next to the fridge for a glass, there were plates in there. He turned to see Sasuke grab one out of the cabinet where the cereal used to be stashed. The Uchiha held the glass under the faucet, allowing it to fill with cool water before tightly handing it to the blond, who took it with a thank you.

Standing on opposite sides of the island counter, they stared at each other awkwardly. Hating the silence, Naruto spoke. "So…how've you been?"

"Fine."

"Fine." His tone held the same bored arrogance as it had for the last two years.

"Right…" he looked down, scratching his head and sipping some of his drink. He held it over the counter, swirling the liquid hypnotically.

"Tetsuko got bigger." Sasuke commented offhandedly. "Haven't seen much of her."

"Yea, well, you wouldn't have, would you." Naruto stated quietly, still watching the whirlpool in his glass. It was amazing to him that something that could hold such power was made to bend to his will in a glass in his hand. Water could destroy, give and take away life. But, it was at his mercy. If only he had that kind of power over what was happening in his life.

"No. I suppose not. You decided a while ago that we weren't friends anymore. Not like you'd keep hanging around." He didn't sound hurt, or angry, or like he cared at all. It was just a statement. His voice held no emotion, and Naruto found himself unable to read him.

"I never decided I didn't want to be friends, Sasuke. I wanted to. You're the one who figured it wasn't worth the trouble." He wouldn't have Sasuke blame it on him, but he wouldn't blame Sasuke either. The Uchiha decided it wasn't worth the trouble, always having to deal with the secrecy Naruto presented to him. Sasuke didn't know what was going on. Though, since Naruto mentioned he'd been evicted, and Yako was no where to be found, he probably knew something was wrong _now_.

"You wouldn't tell me what the hell was going on. You didn't talk to me anymore or come over and you were always sleeping or working. What was I supposed to think?" None of it was his fault. Naruto more or less avoided him.

"I don't know. Besides, it would've only caused trouble if I'd told you what was going on." He stated truthfully, rubbing his eyes and setting the water onto the counter, pulling his hand back. He had no control of the water now. It was out of his reach, the control, the ability to stir it or move it at all. Just like in real life. He had no control over anything.

"And why's that?" he still wondered, even if only a little. Curiosity was there.

"It'd still cause trouble, Sasuke, I can't afford anymore of it." He downed the rest of the water, placing the glass in the sink and leaving the kitchen. He stopped in the hall, looking through the doorway that led to the living room. It looked so different.

It was repainted, white as opposed to the pleasant peach it used to be. A lot of the white furniture was replaced by black, and everything was in the wrong spot. The TV was different, and hung on the wall. The entertainment center was gone. Instead there was a small cabinet under the TV, stuffed with DVDs and games. The white carpet had been ripped up, and the dark hardwood floors had been revealed. It wasn't at all like the soft, pleasant room it had been when Mikoto was still alive. Fugaku had rearranged everything.

Naruto bit his lip, walking to the stairs. He noticed all the pictures on the walls were gone, everything looked so much different, different colors, different things. He used to think of this place as his home, Mikoto was sort of his surrogate mother. But now everything was changed, it was all darker, less like a home. It wasn't his home anymore. It seemed no matter where he went, it wasn't going to be home.

He continued up the stairs, going into Sasuke's room. Even that had been rearranged. Repainted. He kept his eyes on the ground, and sat down carefully on the mattress on the floor. He leaned forward, sitting cross-legged with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He felt again like he could be sick, but he took steady, even breathes to avoid it. He heard Sasuke's light footsteps as he crossed the floor of his bedroom after closing the door. He climbed on his bed, and that was the last Naruto heard of him.

Sasuke lay on his back, eyes glued to the ceiling. 'It would still cause trouble'. What did that mean? Was Naruto really involved in some kind of drug dealing? That was why he was evicted, because he spent all that money on drug deals and couldn't pay the rent. But, he knew the blond better then that. He wasn't all that bright, but he had more common sense then most.

But he wasn't the one paying the rent, Yako was. There was no way she was in a financial hole, she was a prostitute, and she made a couple hundred a night at least. So, she must've kicked them out then. Or maybe the landlord got fed up with having a whore in his building. So why didn't Naruto and Tetsuko go with her? Why did they have to bother _him_?

Unless, Yako wasn't paying the rent, and they really were kicked out.

He didn't know why, but his stomach knotted up when he heard a choked sob escape Naruto.

The Uzumaki bit his thumb. He couldn't cry. He'd find a way out of this. He always did. He was Konoha's most unpredictable teenager, right? He could do it. He had a knack for pulling something good out of nothing. All he needed to do was find an affordable place to live, someplace that would take his money without asking questions.

If he tried the local motel, it'd cost him way less every month. That was a plus, right? He could save up for a real place to live. He'd be closer to the school, closer to work. He could get there faster. If it cost him less money, maybe he could even work less.

But he knew this was all false hope. Chances were, that he'd end up living in a box on the corner. If he was lucky it'd be laminated and keep the rain out.

"Nii-chan?" came Tetsuko's tired whisper, she opened her eyes, and the sea green orbs looked up at him, as he sat against the wall, biting his thumb, holding back scared tears. "Lay down, you gotta sleep," she ordered, yawning. He did as he was told, unable to deny the little girl. She snuggled into his chest, closing her eyes again.

He wrapped his arms around her protectively, pulling the blanket they'd been supplied over them.

"Are we gonna live with Sasuke now…?"

"No, Tetsuko-chan, we're not. W-we're gonna find another place to live." His voice was shaky.

"Nii-chan, are you ok?"

"I'm ok. Everything's gonna be ok, Tetsuko-chan,"

"Pinky promise?" she held up her hand, her little finger extended. He laughed lightly.

She never knew how bad things were.

"Pinky promise." He hooked his pinky with hers, kissing her forehead, and hugging the little girl to him.

"Mkay," she smiled momentarily, welcoming the warm embrace of her cousin.

He closed his eyes tightly, burying his face in the little girl's hair.

He had to do something. He had until Sunday to figure out what. He wasn't wanted in this house, or, any house, for that matter. He wouldn't overstay his welcome. He had no doubt Itachi would figure out something about the situation, maybe Fugaku, if he returned home before his time was up.

He couldn't have it. He needed to do something, but he had no money, not a dime. The landlord had taken the four hundred dollars he'd managed to get his hands on, and so he was one hundred percent broke.

At this, the sick feeling in his stomach became more pronounced. He took long, even breaths to subdue it. The shivering seemed to make it's self known, as though it were competing with the sour feeling in his gut. He sniffled, curling up into a ball. He heard Tetsuko mumble something, though he couldn't quite make it out. At this he bit his lip, almost hard enough to make it bleed, as he again, suppressed the terror he felt.

Sasuke rolled over, his back to the Uzumaki. He could hear all too well the uneven breathing, the sniffling, the stifled sobs. He felt his stomach twist even more, and he stared at the wall, trying to will himself to sleep. He didn't want to listen to Naruto cry. He didn't understand why he was crying, didn't know. But even so, it was making him feel guilty.

But he had no reason to feel guilty. He hadn't done anything wrong. Naruto obviously didn't think so, if he was there asking for help. Then again, No one else would look twice at him if he showed up on their doorstep. It was a one in a million chance Sasuke would let him in, Naruto knew that. But it was even less likely someone else would. He wasn't there because he saw Sasuke had done no wrong, he was there because he didn't have another choice.

This realization seemed to eat at the Uchiha. He closed his eyes, gripping his sheets lightly. What reason did he have to feel guilty? He'd kept Naruto off the streets. Naruto was _lucky_ he was even doing _that_ much. Sasuke had no reason to feel guilty.

He'd done nothing wrong.

* * *

The next morning was painfully awkward for Naruto. He woke up, tangled up in the blanket with Tetsuko cuddling into his chest. He gently pushed her away, freeing himself of the snared blankets after seeing Sasuke standing over him and Tetsuko with an indifferent look on his face. He ordered them to get up, and as Naruto scrambled to his feet, he wrinkled his nose, before making the blunt statement, "You smell."

He looked away in embarrassment, not bothering to defend himself against the comment. He didn't want to tell Sasuke anymore then he'd already let slip. The knowledge of his homeless state was enough. "Well…yea…" was all he could manage to say. He chose to focus his eyes on the heating vent in the corner of the room.

"Towels are in the same place." the Uchiha muttered, walking out of his room, fully dressed and showered for school.

Naruto blinked in surprise, before deciding to take him up on what seemed to be an offer. He shook Tetsuko's shoulder gently, waking her up and telling her to go get some breakfast, before digging through the duffle bag for an outfit he hadn't worn in the last three days. He had a very limited wardrobe, which consisted of one of three shirts, three pairs of shorts, and some underwear. Clothing in his arms, he went out into the hallway, locating the linen closet, strangely, there were still towels there, as he remembered. He was surprised, Sasuke hadn't lied. It was another story when he entered the bathroom.

He closed the door behind him, looking around in shock. The whole room was different. Different shower, different bath, sink, window, cabinets, mirror, tile, everything was changed. The color theme had changed from pale green and white, to dark blue, black, and white. She shower was in the opposite corner from where it should've been, the bath along the far wall. The sink and cabinets were on the right side of the room now, and the window had shrunk in size. The tile was black, and up until waist height, the walls were dark blue. Shower had a glass door, made to distort the image of the person behind it. It was all wrong.

He tried to ignore it, as he stripped down and stepped into the shower, closing the door. He started the hot water, sighing in relief when he felt it pounding down on his back. He folded his arms against the shower wall, resting his forehead against them as he let the scalding water ebb away the tired aches in his body. When his muscles relaxed, he turned, locating the shampoo, conditioner, and soap. He scrubbed himself until his skin was red, washed his hair until he couldn't run his fingers through it without having them catch on the rough, sudsy strands.

He turned off the water twenty minutes later, stepping out and swaying a bit in his journey to the counter, where he located his towel.

He dried himself with the thick, luxurious navy towel, feeling as though he'd never been so clean. He liked the feeling, it was one he could never maintain in Yako's apartment. The place made him feel dirty, knowing that probably every surface in the house had been ejaculated on at one point or another. And no matter how hard he scrubbed everything down, he couldn't shake the feeing that eating at the counter he might accidentally get AIDS. It was almost depressing to have to put on his tattered, unwashed clothing.

He'd had no chance to do any laundry in the past two weeks. He was almost tempted to steal some clean clothing from Sasuke's room. Almost. In the end, he remained in his tan cargo shorts and orange, v-neck t-shirt.

He headed downstairs, trying to ignore all of Fugaku's changes to the house as he did so. He entered the kitchen, when he heard Tetsuko babbling on and on about something. The sight he found was an amusing one. Sasuke was pouring milk into a bowl of Captain Crunch, and he passed it to her with a spoon. In the mean time, she was voicing all of Naruto's thoughts.

"Everything's funny looking, weren't the cups in that cabinet? And Weren't the plates in that one? And I thought the cabinets were white with red walls, not white with _blue_ walls. Why's everything so blue? There's a lot of black, too. Your room looks different." Naruto couldn't help but smile in amusement as he saw Sasuke's lips twitch into what could only be one of two things, an amused smirk, or a very irritated one. "You're bed is on the wrong side of the room, and the walls are blue now, too. Why is there so much blue? Is it 'cause you like the ocean? I haven't been to the ocean in forever. Remember that time when we went to the beach, you, me, and Naruto nii-chan and we went swimming and I got lemonade? That was fun. I wanna go again. Can we go to the beach, Sasuke nii-chan? Naruto doesn't work on Sundays. We should go then. I don't have Soccer practice on Sundays either. Oh! You should come watch me play!"

"Tetsuko." he bit in while she stopped to take a breath. She blinked in surprise.

"What?"

"Eat your breakfast."

"Ok!" she took the spoon provided for her, digging into the cereal excitedly, not having had it in a long time.

Naruto snickered when Sasuke seemed to sigh in relief at the silence. For this he received a glare, and he looked away. "Thanks for letting me use the shower." he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking over to stand beside Tetsuko.

"You needed it." he stated monotonously, pushing the cereal, milk, and an empty bowl with a spoon in Naruto's direction.

* * *

"_What's the matter Yako? You're Northern California ass can't handle the rain?" the barely dressed girl next her asked._

"_I've been here for two years now and I haven't gone home once with out turning at least three tricks in one day have I?" she asked, shivering as the freezing rain poured over her from the New York City skies._

"_No, I guess not," Her Brooklyn accent was heavy on her voice as she walked up to a parked black van that had the window rolled down. "Hey baby you wanna party? I can show you things you never knew could be done, I'm very flexible,"_

_Yako guessed the man had agreed because she soon climbed into the van. They didn't leave yet though._

"_Hey honey," Mimi called to Yako from inside the vehicle. "He's lookin' for two girls. He says he's hard to satisfy, what do you say we show him what real women can do?"_

"_Alright," Yako smiled, showing off the pearly whites that shone against her dark lipstick. "Move over baby," Yako pushed Mimi over in the van and they sat rather squished to the right of the driver. _

_He was very pale and had white, almost violet hair slicked back and striking eyes. He was wearing a long black trench coat. Over all he was very handsome. "Are you ladies sure you know how to show a man a good time?" he raised an eyebrow. The rosary that was wrapped around his hand clinked together._

"_You know it Sweetheart," Yako licked her lips. He watched her intently._

_He pressed his foot down on the gas petal and he drove down the street in the direction of the Hudson River. They stopped in a small parking lot and he told them to climb into the back of the van. The bottom was covered by an open sleeping bag and there were several pillows scattered around. He reached into and overhead compartment and grabbed a hand full of condoms before climbing into the back to join them._

"_You two ladies got names?" he asked._

"_Yea, I'm Mimi and this is Yako, the night child," Mimi stated the meaning of Yako's name. She pulled her shirt off over her head revealing her bare chest and then removed her tight shorts leaving her completely nude. She climbed over the man and licked his cheek, stripping him of his clothing._

_Yako soon joined her._

* * *

That afternoon, Sasuke found himself walking with Naruto to work, as he was starting work himself that Friday. The blond was silent, his eyes half closed. He seemed to almost be sleep walking. Then again, he'd been walking this place nearly every day for two years. For all Sasuke knew, he _was_ sleeping and his feet were just following a memorized path.

When the pair arrived at their place of employment, they stepped into the back room, dropping their bags. Sasuke was given a shirt by Kyto, and they switched into work uniforms. Naruto gave him the run around, rubbing his blood shot eyes every few words. Sasuke listened as best he could to the Uzumaki's directions, and followed him out into the main serving area. He watched Kyto exchange a few words with Naruto.

"You're even more tired then usual lately, what's up?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just need a little extra cash."

"I told you that soccer thing would be a problem,"

"No, it's not the soccer stuff that's causing the problem Kyto, just drop it, I gotta work…" he shuffled off, and Kyto crossed his arms.

Sasuke watched his used-to-be friend then entire time they were working. When Tetsuko burst through the door and greeted him, he seemed somewhat unenthusiastic, and the little girl went to her booth with a pout. He saw a hint of nervousness appear when Naruto served the man with the blue tattoos, heard him stutter while talking to the slow-speaking man. He watched Naruto go sit with Tetsuko when he took a break, watched him explain to her why he couldn't get a meal for himself, only for her.

"I don't have enough money, I won't for a while I don't think." he smiled half-heartedly. "I'll eat later."

So, the plan was to only eat food at the Uchiha's house. Freeloading. Sasuke narrowed his eyes a little, before shaking his head.

"Why don't you have enough money?" she questioned, refusing to eat her meal until he gave her a good reason not to force it on him instead.

"Because, Tetsuko. I gave all the cash to the landlord, remember? I need to save as much money as I can so we can get a new place to live." he was whispering. The Uchiha still heard. He had been wanting to know all day, and all last night why Naruto was in his house.

"Like where? Can't we go live with Kaa-san?"

Novel idea, Tetsuko. Naruto should listen to her. Sasuke couldn't help but think this as he stalled to hear the rest before clipping his orders behind the counter.

He sighed. "Because, I don't know where she is."

"You said she was in New York City,"

"But I don't know _where_ in New York City. And she left us for a reason, Tetsuko. She doesn't want anything to do with us." he sighed, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to keep them open.

New York City…? She left them…? What? Why would she do that? What reason did she have to leave, anyway?

A realization dawned on him, and he rushed away from the whispering voices of the Uzumaki cousins. Naruto really was the one paying the rent. That's why he had no money, why he was evicted, why he worked so much. He was paying rent. Yako wasn't kicking them out. She wasn't even in the picture.

* * *

"_You two aren't half bad at fucking," he looked up at Mimi who was leaned over him._

_Yako was straddling his waist. She leaned in to kiss his neck and found a chain. Curious, she touched it, and followed it around his neck. There was a small metal charm on it. She pulled it into view from behind his now disheveled hair. The charm was red, and shaped like a cloud. She gasped and backed up, grabbing his trench coat. Her back was against the doors in the back of the van._

"_What's wrong Yako?" Mimi asked. She watched as Yako struggled to open the door._

"_Fuck and I was hoping you wouldn't see that until after another two or three fucks," he sat up. Mimi looked at him and then at her frightened friend._

"_What's going on Hidan baby?" the working girl asked. "Yako?"_

"_Let me out of here!" Yako finally managed to open the door and jumped out, pulling the stolen trench coat over her shoulders and tying it tightly to cover herself in the rain._

"_Aw fuck now I have to run," Hidan casually pulled on his boxers and jumped out of the back of the van, pulling a gun from under one of the pillows._

"_What the hell are you doing?" Mimi grabbed a snow brush from under the front seat and lifted it over her head._

"_Shut your fucking mouth you whore," he pulled the trigger and in one clean shot to her head Mimi was dead. He started to run after Yako, his rosary still wrapped around the hand the he used to hold his gun._

_Yako soon realized she had no where to go, and she jumped down the small hill that led from the parking lot to the somewhat sandy beach alongside the Hudson._

"_Just stop fucking running I'm going to catch you no matter what you do," Hidan bent over to pick up a rock as he ran and chucked it at Yako, hitting her in the head._

_She yelped as she fell over on the ground, blood and rain dripping down her face. She tried to crawl away but he walked over to her and kicked her in the side._

_Yako rolled over onto her back and looked up._

"_Now where the fuck is my money you fucking whore?" he asked. He rolled his eyes as she started sobbing. He pressed his foot on her neck and she clawed at it gasping for air._

"_P-please, I h-have a d-daughter! I h-have a n-nephew! Th-they'll be m-missing me I-if you k-kill me! P-please!" she begged._

"_Haha, yea, I doubt it. You fucking left them to come here two years ago. They probably don't give a flying fuck about you, you stupid slut." He laughed. "Now where's my fucking God forsaken money?" he lifted his gun to point at her forehead. "You owe me five-hundred thousand fucking dollars, where is my money?"_

"_I don' h-have a-any god d-damned money, s-so g-go t-to hell, y-you son of a b-bitch!" she choked out, dropping the innocent victim act._

"_What did you say to me?" he pressed his foot down harder on her throat. "Well, my orders were to fucking kill you if you couldn't fucking pay up,"_

"_F-fuck off!!" Bang._

* * *

**Author's Note****: Oh my god. I give you all permission to kill me if this took too long. It was painful, I actually forced myself to sit down and type all this. I couldn't figure out how to keep Sasuke in character for this chapter! I don't really know why it was so difficult, but, oh well. Yako's dead! Whoo! So now the fun can begin. I reread a lot of this story today also, while trying to get in the mood to write, (which ultimately failed) So, I would just like to apologize for making the bad guy boss dude (as if you don't know who it is…) in the previous chapter sound like a weird mob boss. Not what I was going for, oh well.**

**Thank you for your patients! And thanks to those, namely Toreador-Eve, for yelling at me about this constantly.**

**REVIEW**

**-Wicka**


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